Find Your Freedom In the Music
by teilo
Summary: Elizabeth A. Hummel died on September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center. While visiting his grandparents in California Kurt decides to throw away all his future plans in order to honor his mother's memory.
1. Chapter 1

Find Your Freedom in the Music

**December 21, 1993:** "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" became the official policy of the Armed Forces under President Bill Clinton.

**May 27, 1994:** Elizabeth A. Hummel gave birth to a son, Kurt Allen Hummel.

**September 11, 2001:** Elizabeth Hummel died in the terrorist attack against the World Trade Center in New York City.

**September 12, 2001:** Burt Hummel had to shatter his son's innocence with the news that his mother was never coming home from her business trip to NYC.

**July 20, 2011:** President Obama stated that the Armed Forces were ready to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

**September 20, 2011:** Men and women serving in the military would no longer have to hide who they really were in order to serve their country.

xoxoxo

"FAG!"

Kurt was viciously shoved into a locker and lost his balance and ended up on the hallway floor. He sat there stunned for a bit until he slowly got to his feet. He shrugged his shoulder knowing that he would probably have a bruise by morning.

He was just tired of the taunting and physical abuse he dealt with on a daily basis and was really looking forward to Spring Break. As usual, he would be spending the week in sunny California with his grandparents. He couldn't wait but first he had to survive the next couple of days at McKinley.

After Glee practice he headed home to start packing. He needed to make sure he had everything ready to go so he wouldn't be panicking at the last minute.

xoxoxox

"Hey kid," Burt looked up from the paper he was reading when he saw Kurt walk in the door.

"How was school?"

"It was okay, I'm just ready for Spring Break."

"I spoke to your grandmother today and she is really looking forward to seeing you. She mentioned something about a surprise for you but wouldn't say what it was." Burt looked at how tired his son looked and once again wondered when Kurt was going to stop worrying about him so much and be a teenage boy for once.

"Well, I can't wait to see what it is – the last time she surprised me was when she signed me up as a volunteer at the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center as a clown, which went rather well even though I did get a nasty rash from that clown make-up messing up my face. I looked like I had the chicken pox for about a week afterwards."

Burt laughed and said, "Finn is at practice and Carole is working late tonight so it is just me and you for dinner kid. How about some pizza? We could order it with all those healthy veggies you like."

Kurt really wanted to get started on his packing and didn't want to have to cook tonight so he said, "Sure, just make sure there _**are**_ vegetables on that pizza!" He hurried up to his room to start putting outfits together and dragged his suitcase out of the hall closet. "Call me when the pizza gets here Dad."

Kurt had just about finished sorting his clothes into possible outfits when he heard the doorbell ring and started walking downstairs. Since his dad had remarried it wasn't often that he had his dad all to himself and he was looking forward to dinner. He really liked Carole and she made his dad happy. After his mother died his father buried himself in work and taking care of Kurt and never seemed to take an interest in dating.

Of course, Kurt had _reasons_ to introduce him to Carole, mainly her son Finn. That misguided crush had ended in a crushing blow to his ego but over time he had gotten over the disappointment and figured that he would always be alone or at least until he left for college.

"So, did you get all packed?" his dad asked.

"Not quite but I did figure out what I will be taking with me. I should call grandma to see if I can wheedle out the surprise from her so that I can make sure I have an appropriate outfit to suit the occasion."

"Your grandmother is just like your mom – that woman could keep a secret like nobody's business. I think it came from being around the military all her life."

Kurt's mother had grown up as a military brat. His grandfather had been an officer in the Air Force and the family had been stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton when she had met Burt at a local college football game. His dad had taken one look at those beautiful blue eyes and happily made the hour and a half commute a couple of times a week until she finally agreed to marry him. They had settled down in Dayton. Elizabeth worked for the US Government as a financial analyst and had been on a temporary duty assignment to New York on that fateful day. After his mother's death, his father had relocated to Lima with Kurt because he couldn't deal with the memories and wanted to live somewhere that wouldn't remind him of what he had lost on a daily basis.

"I'm still going to try to get it out of her," insisted Kurt.

"Good luck with that, kid. Now let's clean up so that Carole doesn't have a fit when she comes home." After cleaning up the kitchen, Kurt headed upstairs to call his grandmother and finish packing.

xoxoxoxoxoxxo


	2. Chapter 2

a/n: Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read and review this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, Lady Gaga or any of the other characters that are canon.

Kurt's plane landed at the Palms Springs International Airport Saturday at noon. His grandparents were waiting for him at the baggage carousel and it took all three of them to lug all of his bags out to the car.

"I can't believe you brought so many bags!" exclaimed his grandmother, Marissa Allen. Every time Kurt looked at his grandmother his heart stuttered a bit. His mother had been the spitting image of her mother and he always realized how much he missed her when he was around his grandmother. He just had to drop his bags and wrap his arms around her and just absorb her warmth and love.

"I missed you grandma," he sighed holding back his tears. He could feel all the stress of McKinley leaving his body as he squeezed her a little bit harder.

"Honey, let the boy be," laughed his grandfather. Retired General Jonathan Allen still carried himself as if he was still on active duty. Once his grandfather had retired from the Air Force, they had relocated to Palm Desert, California to soak up the sun and enjoy their retirement. They loved living in the Coachella Valley and Kurt enjoyed visiting them although with his fair complexion he had to really be careful every time he was out in the desert sun.

Once the bags were in the car his grandfather asked if he was hungry. His stomach growled reminding him that he had been too excited to eat breakfast that morning and the small bags of trail mix he had eaten on the plane had not been enough to satisfy his hunger. The trio decided to stop at Olive Garden for a late lunch and Kurt managed to catch them up on life in Lima. He did mention that the Glee Club had won Sectionals and Regionals and were set to compete at the 2012 Nationals which were being held that year in Los Angeles. His grandparents assured him that they would be attending to watch him perform.

"Is there anybody special in your life?" asked Marissa. Kurt had come out to his grandparents in his sophomore year. They weren't a bit surprised at his news and were very supportive. Kurt had dreaded telling his grandfather because he figured that this tough, gruff soldier would not be able to stomach having a gay grandson. His grandfather had just held him and told him that he loved him no matter what or who he was. Kurt had bawled like a baby in his arms. He knew he was lucky that his family supported him and just hoped that the world at McKinley was a bit more accepting.

"Just you grandma," he replied with a grin.

"I'm sure there is someone special for you just around the corner. One day your Prince Charming will sweep you off your feet," she laughed. "Of course, he will have to be taller than you if he wants to carry you around as you seem to be growing like a weed!"

After lunch they went home and Kurt managed to get unpacked and showered before his Uncle George and his family came over to see him. Uncle George, his mother's older brother, was a General in the US Marine Corps. He was the Base Commander at the 29 Palms Marine Corps Base which was located about an hour and a half away from Palm Desert.

His uncle squeezed him hard as he swung him around and his Aunt Virginia planted a kiss on his cheek. His twin cousins, Steven and Sariah, were a year younger than Kurt and just as excited to see him. He loved spending time with his cousins and had been ecstatic when his uncle had been transferred so close to his grandparents.

"Kurt, we have a surprise for you," said his grandmother. Marissa was shaking with excitement. "George, honey, tell Kurt what the surprise is," she said.

"Have you ever heard of the Coachella Valley Music Festival Kurt?" asked his uncle.

"Ummm yeah, who hasn't," answered Kurt. "Lady Gaga is headlining the fest this year. I tried to get tickets since I knew the fest was going to fall during Spring Break but the tickets sold out within the hour for both weekends. W-why do you ask?"

"I might happen to have an extra ticket lying around," grinned his uncle. "Know anyone interested in attending?"

"Oh. My. God!" squealed Kurt. "Are you FREAKIN' kidding me?" He threw himself at his uncle and actually twirled him around in his excitement!

"Is that a yes then?" squeaked his uncle since Kurt still had him in tight hug.

"Yes, Yes, YES!" he shouted as he started twirling his grandmother around the living room.

"Who else gets to go?"

"Well everyone who wants to go gets to go," said his uncle.

"How did you get tickets and more importantly _**why**_ did you get tickets?" asked Kurt. "I didn't even know you were into this type of music."

His uncle demeanor changed and his whole body seemed to sag a bit as if a heavy weight was sitting on his shoulders. "Let's sit so I can explain why I was able to get tickets."

"As you well know, the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed last July by President Obama and gays in the military are now able to openly serve their country." Kurt nodded. After his mother's death he had dreamed of joining the military and fighting al-Qaeda and those responsible for his mother's death. Once he had accepted that he was gay and learned about the military's policy against homosexuals serving in the military he had stopped dreaming that specific dream. While he had heard about the change in policy he hadn't really thought much about it in regards to himself.

"One of the main proponents of getting this policy changed was Sgt. Major David Alvarez. He rallied the troops and took quite a hit professionally once it became known that he was gay. He never gave up the fight and as soon as the policy was repealed he married his longtime partner in Vermont. While he was actively speaking out against the policy he met Lady Gaga. She is a big supporter of the LGBT community and they became friends. Sgt. Major Alvarez was transferred to 29 Palms last year and his platoon of Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs) was deployed to Iraq. Last month his platoon was out on maneuvers when his LAV was blown up by an IED and we lost 10 men in the explosion. Sgt. Major Alvarez was one of them."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Uncle George," replied Kurt.

"We have lost many good men in this war Kurt and Lady Gaga has expressed a desire to honor her friend and the men and women that have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms that many Americans take for granted."

"How is she paying homage to these soldiers?"

"She has asked the promoters of the Coachella Fest to have an opening ceremony before any of the bands perform so that this ceremony will be center stage. She also asked the Marine Corps Band to play the National Anthem and Corporal Hinson, a gifted soprano, will be singing the National Anthem. The Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to fly the missing man formation over the Empire Polo Grounds after the National Anthem. Once the F-16's have flown overhead an Army bugler will play TAPS. Lady Gaga will perform after these military performances are finished. As Base Commander I will be speaking a few words at the start of the ceremony."

"It sounds wonderful Uncle George. I just wish we were there for happier reasons but I am glad to hear that Lady Gaga has taken the time to honor these men and women."

"Okay everyone, let's dry our tears and let's figure out what we are having for dinner. I am sure you kids are hungry," exclaimed Marissa. "George, you and your father go get the grill going while Virginia and I figure out what we have in the fridge to throw on there. Kurt you and Steven go set up the lawn chairs and clean the picnic table while Sariah helps us in the kitchen."

Dinner started out a little subdued as everyone thought about the lives that had been lost but eventually the joy of being together as a family coaxed smiles out of everyone. Kurt was exhausted by the time his uncle and his family left. The time difference was kicking in and he was ready for bed.

As tired as he was he had a hard time settling down for bed. Just the thought of getting to see his favorite performer sing was enough to have him tossing and turning in bed all night!


	3. Chapter 3

a/n: Disclaimer still stands. The only things I own are the OCs.

Xxxxoooooxxxx

Time passed quickly, yet somehow not quick enough to satisfy Kurt. He hated the thought that his Spring Break was almost over but he wanted it to be Friday already. Fortunately, his cousins were also on their break and were able to stay in Palm Desert with him. On Wednesday, his grandparents gave them a choice of Disneyland or Magic Mountain. After some serious discussion they all decided to go to Magic Mountain. While Kurt loved everything Disney and while some might say he had a passing resemblance to Pinocchio, he wanted the fast-paced thrill that Magic Mountain provided.

The weather was beautiful in Southern California and they all enjoyed their day at Magic Mountain. His grandparents had even surprised them all by actually riding the Colossus and Revolution roller coasters. Jonathan had been a pilot in the Air Force so the twists and turns were nothing compared to the gravitational force found while flying, but Marissa along with Kurt screamed the whole ride although both denied doing so afterwards.

The next few days passed by in a blur. They spent one day strolling along Indian Avenue in Palm Springs and enjoying the warmth and the shopping. When Kurt left Ohio there had still been a bite in the air but here the temperature was a perfect 80 degrees. Palm Springs was home to one of the largest gay communities in the nation and Kurt was in awe of the fact that gay couples were able to walk openly hand-in-hand without a second thought. He couldn't stop staring and wishing for someone to hold his hand. As if reading his mind, his grandmother reached over and squeezed his hand in silent support. "Someday," she whispered. Kurt just nodded and swallowed the lump in his throat.

Xoxoxoxxoxox

"_It's Friday, Friday  
>Gotta get down on Friday<br>Everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend, weekend…"_

Kurt was humming along with Rebecca Black as he finished up his moisturizing routine. He had to be extra careful whenever he was in the desert. He didn't want to end up looking like one of those chamois towels his dad used around the shop by the ripe old age of 25. He couldn't stop singing and dancing though. His uncle was supposed to pick them up at 7:00am in order to get to the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio early enough to set up for the 10:00am ceremony. Everything had to proceed like clockwork, especially when the military is involved. The Thunderbirds were on a tight schedule and it was pretty hard to reschedule a squadron of F-16s because someone was running late.

His uncle finally arrived and he was dressed in his "Dress Blues" uniform looking sharp and regal. Kurt's critical fashion sense could find nothing wrong with the uniform. He did appreciate a man in uniform.

"Okay everyone let's get on the road. We are going to park at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens and take a shuttle from there to the Polo Grounds. Make sure you grab everything you need since we won't be able to get back to the car until the afternoon. Kurt, grab your sunscreen since I know you will be slapping that stuff on continuously throughout the day. Make sure you have on your wristbands and try to not get separated from each other since my troops have reported that the crowds are unbelievable even at this early hour."

Everyone piled into cars and sure enough the drive that should not have taken more than 10 minutes became a 30 minute drive. Had they not been in the specially marked military shuttle and a police escort they would still have been stuck in traffic.

Traffic was in some instances stopped. People were literally hanging out of their car windows drinking water and who knows what else just waiting for traffic to move. The lines at the gates were outrageous and the clothing some of these people were wearing even more so. Kurt prided himself on being a forward fashion thinker but some of the outfits on display made even him blush. He had actually dressed rather conservatively knowing how somber the opening ceremony was going to be but he couldn't wait to see what Lady Gaga would be wearing. He was going to loiter somewhere near her and have Sariah snap a picture with his iPhone so he could show his friends in the Glee Club.

Last night while talking to his dad during their nightly chat Finn had asked to speak to Kurt.

"Dude, you are soooo lucky you get to go to Coachella Fest!"

"I know!" exclaimed Kurt. "I wish you guys were here to enjoy it as well but I will make sure to take a bunch of pictures and maybe some videos to share when I get back home."

"Have fun Kurt," he said giving the phone back to Burt who told him to be careful and stay close to his grandparents at the festival before hanging up.

When they finally arrived at the Polo Grounds and found their way to the staging area Kurt and his cousins were told they could wander around but to stay together and to make sure they were back in place by 9:30. His uncle disappeared to make sure everything was going without a hitch and his grandparents staked out a place in the bleachers. Seats were filling up fast and they wanted to make sure they had seats available plus they knew that the kids didn't want to wander around with a couple of old fogies hanging around them.

The fest was set up into tents and stages. The opening ceremony was being held on the Coachella Stage which is one of the main stages. Normally, music is continuously being played on all the stages/tents but since this was a special ceremony only the Coachella Stage would be on at this time. Since it was Lady Gaga the area was soon packed with all her little monsters and it soon became impossible to move around.

Kurt and his cousins were making their way back to their grandparents when he felt his phone buzzing. He was surprised to see his uncle calling him.

"Kurt, where are you guys?" he asked.

"We are headed back to the bleachers were grandma is saving us a seat," he replied.

"Can you hurry? I need to ask you for a big favor."

"On our way," he said as he hung up the phone.

"Wonder what dad needs?" asked Steven.

"Not sure but let's hurry and find out," answered Sariah.

They pushed and shoved their way through the crowds and finally arrived back to see their grandparents looking for them. They sat down and Kurt could see his uncle hurrying to their side.

"Kurt, can you come with me?"

"Sure, what's wrong?"

"I just got a call from one of my troops. It seems there has been a car accident and Corporal Hinson is being taken to Desert Regional Medical Center. She is alive but there is still no news as to the extent of her injuries. It seems there was a carload of kids heading to the festival and they had already started drinking. The driver lost control of the vehicle and swerved out of his lane and sideswiped the vehicle Corporal Hinson was riding in. The kids are all fine just bruised up but no major injuries. However, I am now short a singer. I've heard you sing Kurt and I am wondering if you can perform the National Anthem."

"Um…yeah…I think so," he replied. It wasn't that he was nervous about performing. He had performed for crowds before – he was nervous about performing in front of Lady Gaga.

"Thank you Kurt. Let's go get you ready you go on right after I say a few words and introduce you," he said as he led Kurt to the staging area. Kurt started humming and warming up his voice as they walked around the stage.

He was so engrossed in his warming up that he sensed rather than saw someone walk up to him. His instincts kicked in and he whirled around coming face to face with none other than Lady Gaga.

Of course, his brain registered who it was about 5 seconds _**after**_ he screamed like a 13 year old girl!


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n: Don't own any of the canon characters or Lady Gaga just the OCs.**

"I am a FREAK…a freakin' freak of nature!" thought Kurt. "I can't believe I literally screamed in her face. Who does that?"

"Well hello to you too…nervous or do you just randomly scream at people?" asked Gaga.

"H-Hi, sorry about that I tend to do that to people. Please forgive me, I'm just a freak," replied Kurt.

"Aren't we all? Your uncle mentioned that you are stepping in to sing and I wanted to personally thank you, Kurt. This event means a lot to me. David was my friend and I'm happy to be honoring him today,"

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"He was a good man who believed in making a dent in this world. He fought for what he believed in and died doing what he loved. He was happy with his life. Again, thank you," she hugged him as she walked away to speak to the sound technicians.

Before long, Kurt found himself on stage. His uncle introduced him and when the band started playing he lost himself in the music. Whenever he sang he found freedom: from his bullies, from the abuse, from the laughter and the hate. Finding freedom in the music is how he survived on a daily basis.

His performance was flawless and the thunderous applause was drowned out by the roar of the F-16 flying the missing man formation over the festival. He managed to find his way to his grandparents and enjoyed Lady Gaga's performance of some of his favorite songs. After the concert there was a luncheon for the performers and Kurt was able to stalk Lady Gaga and have some pictures taken with her and the Marine Corps Band.

Once the luncheon was over his grandparents and Uncle George decided to go home. This was not their scene but the kids were allowed to stay and enjoy the fest as long as they promised to stay together and keep their phones on at all times.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Kurt and his cousins headed to the Mojave Tent. Freelance Whales was getting ready to perform their hit "Hannah" and they wanted to get there before it started. By this time the temperature had gotten close to 95 degrees and Kurt was hot and sweaty. He was tempted to just take off his shirt like many others had already done so. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the sure knowledge that he would turn red and burn immediately. He could already feel his face burning and he knew he would have to do some serious damage control once he got home.

As they got to the Mojave Tent, Kurt got a glimpse of a curly haired, toned, bronzed skinned boy that was covered in paint and wearing pink sunglasses. He tried to maneuver himself around the crowds to get a better glimpse and when he finally did he could feel his brain fry itself trying to process this paint covered vision.

"Kurt, why are you drooling?" asked Sariah.

"Ung, Um, YUM – what?

"I said, why are you drooling – oh, OH! I see," smirked his cousin. She had finally figured out what had captured Kurt eye. "Do you want to go over and say, Hi?" she asked.

"NO. Look at him. He is surrounded by girls. I don't even think he's gay." The curly haired cutie was with a group of friends that were totally rocking out to the music. Most of them were shirtless and some were painting designs on each other's bare skin. At that moment he seemed to sense Kurt's stare and he looked up and he focused on Kurt. Pulling his shades down he smiled and winked at Kurt and said something to the guy standing next to him who naturally turned and stared right at Kurt.

Kurt blushed and ignored the stares. He decided to enjoy the music pulsing through his body, the company of his cousins and forgot or tried to at least forget about the cute guy. He drifted from place to place enjoying all the different styles of music on display and eventually it was time to go home. He was flying out tomorrow morning and had yet to pack.

His flight was leaving at 9:00am and they barely made it to the airport in time for him to get through security and board the plane. He had said his goodbyes last night to everyone and barely had enough time to hug his grandparents at the airport.

He finally found his assigned seat and was happy to see that he would be sitting next to a soldier in uniform. As the plane took off, the soldier introduced himself as Jim.

"Where are you flying to?" he asked.

"I was visiting my grandparents for Spring Break but now I'm headed back home to Lima, Ohio and you?"

"I'm headed to Lima as well. I am stationed in Lima as the Air Force recruiter. I was just out at a conference at Edwards AFB and since I had the weekend off I decided to attend the tribute at the Coachella Fest," he replied.

"Hey, yeah I was there as well."

"I thought you looked familiar. Was that you singing the National Anthem?" he asked.

"Yes, I hope I did it justice?" replied Kurt.

"You have an awesome voice. It was one of the most beautiful versions of the song I've heard and believe me I've heard quite a few!"

Kurt blushed, "Thank you. Did you know Sgt. Major Alvarez?" asked Kurt.

"Although David and I were in different branches of the military, we both ended up being deployed to Iraq together right after 9-11. You are probably too young to remember 9-11 but it was a difficult time for everyone."

Kurt still found it too difficult to speak about his mother so he just nodded and let Jim continue talking.

"David was all about making this world a safer, better place for his children to grow up in. He believed he could make a difference and so he decided to make the military a career. He almost got out because of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy but he decided to stick it out once 9-11 happened. He used to laugh and say he was the modern day Ghandi and that 'he wanted to be the change he wanted to see in this world.'"

"He sounds like a man I would have liked to known," said Kurt.

"He always did have that effect on people," answered Jim.

Trying to change the subject, Kurt said, "So recruiting, huh?"

"Yeah, I needed to be stationed close to my mom since she was getting a bit older and the only opening near Lima was at the recruiting station."

"Do you get a lot of people wanting to join the Air Force?" asked Kurt.

"Not so much anymore. I know that right after 9-11 there was an explosion of young kids wanting to do their patriotic duty but it has tapered off in the years since then. You can't beat the benefits. Are you interested in joining the military?"

Kurt laughed, "No..No..No…don't get me wrong – my grandfather is retired military and my uncle is in the Marine Corps but I don't think it is for me. I have plans for school in New York when I graduate in May. Besides look at me, I scream "GAY" and I'm not sure I would fit into the military world."

"Kurt, you know that you have the right to serve openly as a gay man in the military," Jim replied.

"I know – I just have my life planned out at the moment and it includes going to school in New York to study Musical Theater."

"If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me," he said as he handed Kurt his business card.

Once the plane landed at the Lima Allen County Airport Kurt wasted no time in heading out to the baggage claim area. He knew Burt would be waiting to pick him as usual. He had really missed his dad and was anxious to get home.

"Hey kid, I'm glad your back," said Burt as he grabbed Kurt into a tight hug.

"I'm glad to be back dad. I love visiting grandma and grandpa but I also love coming back home well – not necessarily to Lima but home to you."

"I know what you mean kid," said his dad, finally releasing him. "Now let's get your bags and go home so you can tell me all about your trip."

_**Thanks for reading. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. **_


	5. Chapter 5

Once Kurt got back home life moved hectically forward. Before he knew it May rolled around and it was time for Nationals. Nationals were being held in Los Angeles and the Glee Club was scheduled to fly out on Thursday. Tension was high and tempers were flaring. Mr. Schuester had his hands full trying to keep everyone from killing each other. The only good thing about this year's Nationals is that their set list was actually completed unlike the previous year.

To add to the stress graduation was the following Friday and those seniors in Glee Club had to make sure all of their graduation requirements were met before they could participate in Nationals.

The only bright spot was that most of Kurt's tormentors were seniors and were too busy trying to finish off their graduation stuff that they somehow forgot to add "mess with the fairy" to their daily schedule. For the first time since he could remember Kurt had no bruises on his body due to the locker checks or dumpster tosses.

Xoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Since the boys were not going to be home for Friday night dinner Carole insisted they have dinner together as a family on Wednesday night. After dinner they had sat around the living room watching a special on NBC. It seemed that although President Obama had pulled the majority of the troops out of Iraq things were starting to heat up again in the Middle East.

One of Osama bin Laden's many children had taken control of al-Qaeda when his father was taken out by the Americans. He vowed revenge on the west and it seemed that there were some credible threats being reported by the intelligence agencies and all airports and major landmarks were being put on high alert.

"Make sure you two are extra careful at the airport and at Nationals," said Burt. "Don't wander off by yourselves and make sure you don't talk to strangers."

Kurt and Finn just looked at each other and rolled their eyes, "Ok dad," they mumbled. They both had things on their minds and weren't really paying attention to anything outside of McKinley.

"I'm serious boys – make sure you are aware of everything around you – especially in Los Angeles!" exclaimed Burt.

Both boys were ready to go the next morning. Burt was dropping them off at school since they would be taking a school bus to the airport. Burt and Carole were not able to go to Los Angeles but Kurt's grandparents would be there supporting the boys and helping Mr. Schuester chaperone the Glee Club.

Burt was still worried about the alerts being issued by the military. He had spoken to George and his father-in-law last night and both of them were worried as well. The DEFCON 1 alert was the most severe alert posture used by the Armed Forces and they had not issued such an alert in years. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't make the boys stay home. The Glee Club depended on both boys and he knew that he had no legitimate reason to make they stay behind.

He gave each boy a hug and sent them on their way. "Make sure you boys have your cell phones on you at all times. Also, make sure Mr. Schuester or your grandparents know where you are at all times. Got it?"

"Yes dad, we got it," replied the boys as they hugged their dad goodbye.

Once they all got to the airport they went through the security check and since the security alerts were high every bag was screened before being checked in. This was not a problem for most of the kids but Kurt had a total of 5 bags one solely dedicated to his face cleansers and moisturizers and it did take a bit longer to process his through security. Since he was checking all of his bags he didn't have too much of a problem getting all of his cleansers through security.

Eventually everyone boarded the plane and were ready for Los Angeles. Kurt stuck his earplugs in and started going through the set list to make sure he had not forgotten any of the lyrics. Soon he fell asleep. He had been tired ever since coming back from Spring Break. It felt like he had had no down time with Nationals and graduation coming up. He dreamed of a curly haired beauty dancing in a field of lilacs solely for his pleasure. This dancing dervish had taken permanent residence in his dreams and he had awakened sticky and flushed many a night in the past month. He needed to wake his ass up before he embarrassed himself sitting on an airplane next to Mercedes!

Kurt jerked himself awake and realized they were almost at LAX and looked down to make sure he was decent. It would have been totally awkward explaining a boner to 'Cedes.

"You okay white boy?" she asked.

"Yeah, just fell asleep for a bit. I guess I was tired."

"You were moaning a bit. What's the matter?" she asked.

Kurt blushed and said, "I dreamed that the T-Rex had actually eaten the Jew! It wasn't pretty."

Mercedes busted out laughing and Kurt was glad he had thought of something to cover up his reaction to DreamBoy. I mean really, he hadn't even said one word to him but this boy haunted his sleeping hours. For all he knew, the guy was straight and had a girlfriend. Kurt was not about to go down that path again and chase after a straight guy or make up relationships in his mind.

Landing at LAX was a relief. Mr. Schuester made sure everyone was buddied up and they all proceeded to baggage claim. They were supposed to meet Kurt's grandparents at baggage claim and he hoped that they had made it to the airport in time. As soon as they got there they were notified that due to the heightened security all baggage was to be screened before they were cleared.

The kids were excited about being in LA and wanted to get to the hotel right away but they managed to get through security without too much of a fuss. The only one who had a bit of trouble was Kurt with all his bags and bottles of cleansers. Once he explained what everything was he was given the all clear.

"Seriously, don't people ever clean their faces and moisturize?" muttered Kurt packing all his stuff back in the bag.

"Dude, I think most people just wash their face in the shower with their soap," replied Finn.

Kurt just shuddered and ignored him and walked away. Seriously, what had he ever seen in this moron!

Mr. Schuester had already spotted Kurt's grandparents and hurried off to talk to them. They had volunteered to rent a van and use their SUV to transport the kids around to help defray some of the cost of the competition. New Directions had been trying to raise funds all year to pay for the hotel and airline tickets but Kurt's grandparents had insisted they wanted to help.

They packed all the luggage in the van and the SUV and headed out to the JW Marriott Hotel near Staples Center. They wanted to be near the venue so that they wouldn't have to deal with the LA traffic or getting lost.

After Mr. Schuester got everyone registered he said, "Listen everyone go upstairs boys in one room girls in another and be down here in 30 minutes. The hotel has set aside conference rooms for the show choirs that are staying here to practice in."

As everyone filed out he said, "Oh and Kurt you can stay with the girls." He had already spoken to his grandparents and they had given their consent.

Kurt jumped up and down squealing in excitement, "Thanks Mr. Shue!"

"Okay guys let's get moving!"

They all got settled into their rooms and then met downstairs to go over the set a few more times. They needed to finalize the choreography and they practiced until they were too exhausted to do anything but crawl back to bed.

New Directions was scheduled to compete at 9:00am. If they advanced they would compete on Saturday as well. They had decided to showcase Michael Jackson and they gave a solid performance. They nervously waited for the results to be posted to see if they had placed in the top 10. None of them wanted to go home. This was it for Kurt and those that would be graduating this year. This was their last chance to win Nationals. Results were scheduled to be posted at 5:00pm.

At 4:50pm, Mr. Schuester headed down to the main lobby of the Staples Center to see the results. Everyone else decided to wait in the main auditorium. They all remembered how disappointing it had been to lose last year and did not want to relive those same feelings this year.

Mercedes was the first one to spot Mr. Schuester running down the aisle headed towards them. He was laughing and crying at the same time and he ran headlong into the group yelling, "We placed in the top 10….we get to go on to the finals!"

Pandemonium reigned supreme for about 10 minutes until everyone calmed down enough to start peppering Mr. Schue for more information.

"How did we do?"

"Who are we competing against?"

"We need to kick some ass!"

Everyone was hurtling questions all at once until Mr. Schue put up his hands to quiet everyone down, "Okay – here is what I know. We placed in the top 10 and we are scheduled to compete tomorrow at noon. The list was in alphabetical order so that no one knows exactly who had the most points. This way no one is psyched out before the competition tomorrow. The judges feel there is enough pressure on the top 10 contestants as it is without having to add any more."

"What we need to do is eat dinner, rest and be ready to practice tomorrow at 8:00am so that we are ready for our noon performance. If there are no more questions lets go eat. I am starved!"

They celebrated their success by going to dinner at Red Lobster and having a good time. Before too long the excitement of the day caught up with them and everyone was ready to call it a night.

They were all up early and ready to rehearse their set list. They were all on pins and needles and the excitement was starting to get to them. They decided they were ready and wanted to catch some of the competition in action so they headed to Staples Center.

The got there in time to see Vocal Adrenaline perform and the next group up was the Dalton Academy Warblers, a private all boys school, located in Westerville, Ohio. Kurt was about to sit down when the curtains opened up. He looked up and plopped down on top of Rachel in shock!

"Ouch, Kurt get off!" yelped Rachel.

Kurt moved to his seat as the realization set in that the lead singer was none other than DreamBoy! The very same gorgeous hunk of meat that had been playing a leading role in all his fantasies was up there singing "Soul Sister."

Kurt couldn't take his eyes off of him. They were dressed in their school uniforms and Kurt suddenly appreciated Blazers and what they could do for the male form. Before he knew it the Warblers had finished performing to thunderous applause. Kurt honestly couldn't tell if the group had sounded good. All of his focus was on their lead singer and he sounded delicious. He didn't have time to think about it since they had to go to the greenroom to get ready to go on in 30 minutes.

On their way backstage Kurt purchased a souvenir program that listed all the groups and the performers. He quickly paged through until he found the Warblers and found the listing for the lead singer: Blaine Anderson. He now had a name for DreamBoy.

"Mr. Schue, the Warblers are from Ohio. How come we haven't competed against them? Shouldn't we have competed against them during Regionals?" asked Kurt.

"Private schools have the option of competing against either public schools or competing amongst themselves, which is probably why we haven't had to go up against them," answered Mr. Schuester. "Now let's get focused on our performance. Don't let them psych you out with how good they sounded."

It was time to perform and New Directions was ready. This was their year and they gave the performance of their lives. Kurt forgot everything and found his freedom in the music. He felt the beat flow through his body as he gyrated and sang along with the rest of the crew.

On May 12, 2012 New Directions was named the 2012 National Show Choir Champions.

On that same day, al-Qaeda took responsibility for the bombing of a Federal Courthouse in Dallas, Texas killing 223 Americans. They claimed this was only the beginning of a new reign of terror on the infidels of the west.


	6. Chapter 6

**a/n: This chapter has violence and death. If this is a trigger please don't read.**

New Directions walked away with the Championship title while the Warblers came in 2nd place. Kurt finally got a chance to see the lead singer for the Warblers up close. He locked eyes with Blaine and noticed that his eyes were a warm hazel color. He blushed when he realized he was staring and was the first one to break eye contact.

The top 2 show choirs were given vouchers for dinner at their hotels. Mr. Schuester and Dalton's Headmaster shook hands and decided both groups would eat dinner together to celebrate their success since both groups were staying at the Marriott.

As they all made their way to the hotel New Directions introduced themselves to the Warblers. Kurt watched Blaine make his way through the group shaking everyone's hand and introducing himself. Kurt reached for the outstretched hand and said, "Hi, I'm Kurt."

"Nice to meet you Kurt. I'm Blaine. Have we met before? You look vaguely familiar," he asked.

Not wanting to seem like a stalker, Kurt said, "No, I'm pretty sure I would have remembered meeting you!" without realizing how weird that sounded.

Blaine just laughed and said, "I'm sure I would have remembered too."

They were seated in a private dining room and Blaine managed to sit next to Kurt. They started talking and Kurt found that they had so much in common. "Who is your favorite artist Kurt?" asked Blaine.

"I have quite a few favorites but I would probably have to say Lady Gaga."

"Oh hey, I just saw her at Coachella last month. We were down there competing against Xavier Prep High School. We always compete against private schools in California so as soon as the tickets for the fest went on sale we managed to snag some before they sold out."

"I was there too," said Kurt trying to sound like he hadn't known Blaine was there dancing half-naked decorated in paint.

"Wait, did you sing the National Anthem?"

"Yes, why?"

"I told you I thought you looked familiar - your voice has haunted me since April," said Blaine grabbing Kurt's hand to squeeze it gently.

Kurt was speechless. No boy had willingly held his hand, ever. "Thank you."

Once dinner was over everyone started getting ready to go back to their rooms to pack since they were all flying out tomorrow morning. New Directions was flying out at 11:00am and the Warbles an hour later.

Kurt really didn't want the evening to end. He wasn't sure if he would ever see Blaine again but was unsure what to do. He didn't know if Blaine was gay. Sure he had monopolized Kurt's attention all throughout dinner but that did not mean he was gay. Fortunately, Blaine took control of the situation.

"Kurt, I was wondering if you would like to go out for a cup of coffee or a movie once we get back home. Lima is about 1 ½ hours away from Westerville. I could drive down to Lima or we could meet halfway?"

Kurt almost squealed in delight. "I would really like that."

"Awesome! Can I have your number?" The boys exchanged phones and once they were done they said their goodbyes.

Kurt was teased by the girls about what a gorgeous specimen he had managed to find so far from home. Kurt didn't mind the teasing. He was on cloud nine and nothing could put a damper on his happiness. Everyone finished getting all their stuff packed and got ready for bed.

The next morning was hectic as everyone rushed around making sure no one left anything behind. Kurt's grandparents drove them to the airport and managed a few moments alone with Kurt.

"It was good to see you again honey. Remind your dad that we will be flying in for your graduation in a couple of days and to now worry about having room for us. We already booked a hotel," said his grandmother.

"I'll let him know grandma."

"Don't think I didn't notice you and that young man last night making googley eyes at each other. Call me once you get home so we can chat. Maybe your someday is here Kurt," she said wiping a tear from her eye. She wanted her grandson to find some happiness. He had been through too much grief for one so young.

Kurt hugged his grandfather and watched them leave to go return the rental van.

"Okay guys let go check in," said Mr. Schuester trying to herd everyone in the direction of the United ticket counter. As they were checking in the Warblers were coming in the double doors across from the United ticket counter. Kurt saw Blaine but didn't get a chance to do anything other than wave and smile since he was next in line to check in his bags and knew that it was going to be a pain since they were still enforcing the mandatory checks.

Outside the main lobby at LAX a van with a popular hotel's logo painted on its side drove up to the curb where all the other hotel shuttle vans were parked. The drivers would get out and shoot the breeze until their vans were full and then proceed to deliver their customers to their hotels.

No one noticed that the driver walked away from the van and disappeared.

The van did not raise suspicions since the van had the proper airport stickers on the windshield and hotel shuttles were a common place event.

No one noticed the van.

However, everyone heard the explosion as the explosive laden van erupted into a deadly volcano spewing out fire and shrapnel. Glass shattered everywhere and people were howling in anguish as they felt the burn of the fire or felt death coming for them.

Kurt looked up when he heard the sound of the explosion and felt something strike his face and then his world went blank.

**a/n: Warning: There will be some character deaths in the next chapter. Some people will die. I have an idea who it will be but I'm interested in who you think this should be. **

**Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**a/n: This chapter has violence and death. If this is a trigger please don't read.**

There were bodies everywhere. Screams, moans and cries rang throughout the airport. Disoriented people wandered around not knowing where to go, what to do or in some cases who they were. The air was thick with smoke and the fires blazing throughout the airport made it worse.

Emergency crews were busy trying to put out the fires and trying to find survivors. Los Angeles was a city that trained for devastating earthquakes and the emergency system was constantly being refined and updated. It didn't take long for the city to respond to this occurrence. A triage area was immediately set up to start dealing with the survivors. They were taken to another concourse until they could be sent out to the local hospitals. The dead were laid out side by side until they could be moved to the morgue.

LAX is the world's sixth largest airport servicing over 60 million passengers. Once the security alerts were bumped up to DEFCON 1 security was tripled. It was mind blowing to the powers that be that this terrorist act had been accomplished.

The airport was closed off and only first responders were allowed near the blast site.

Kurt's grandparents had been about 30 minutes away when they heard the news on the radio. They immediately turned around to head back to the airport.

Burt was working when the radio that constantly played music in the background announced the bombing of the Los Angeles Airport. Burt quickly ran into the office and turned on the small television he kept on his desk. Every channel was covering the bombing and for a minute Burt was transported to that fateful day when he sat and helplessly watched the Twin Towers collapse. May 13, 2012 would now be added to the list of infamous days in the history of the United States. He looked at the time and hoped that Kurt's plane had managed to clear the airport before it was bombed.

He grabbed the phone and dialed his in-laws but they had no information. They had just turned their SUV around and were headed back to the airport. As he put the phone down he saw Carole running into the garage, tears were streaming down her face and they collapsed in each other's arms.

"Any change?" asked Burt.

The nurse just shook her head and said, "Mr. Hummel, the doctor will be in for his rounds in about an hour."

Burt and Carole were sitting side by side waiting for the doctor to update them on Kurt's condition. Finn had sustained two broken legs but otherwise had survived the blast. The other members of the Glee Club had all survived with some broken bones and a few concussions. They had been saved by the fact that they had been standing behind the heavy counters of the self-check kiosks. They had all been kept overnight to make sure there were no other complications and then released into the custody of Kurt's grandparents after clearing it with the families.

He had assured the families that he would take responsibility for the children until they could make it to California. Kurt's grandfather still had contacts in the military and he had requested and received permission to have the military transport these kids to his home since most of them were not mobile. There were simply too many broken kids to transport in an SUV. They had also provided a mental health specialist trained in post-traumatic syndrome to speak to the group.

Travel in and out of Los Angeles was at a standstill for the time being. All air travel had been suspended around Los Angeles and Ontario, San Diego and Palm Springs were swamped with stranded passengers. It was a few days before the families made it to the Coachella Valley. They were just relieved that their children were alive and grateful that Kurt's grandparents had been there to care for them in the aftermath of the bombing.

Kurt and Mr. Schuester were the only two that were still in the hospital. They had been standing in front of the kiosk trying to get checked in when the blast had occurred. They had both been severely injured and were now in the Intensive Care Unit.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hummel, I am Dr. Steele. Let me go over your son's chart and then I can give you a clearer picture of what is going on with him." He took a few minutes to look at all the test results in the chart and checked Kurt's eye to see if it responded to the light.

"How is he doing Doc?" asked Burt with a tremble in his voice. He was looking at his son laying there with most of his head wrapped up in bandages and casts on his arms and legs.

"Kurt was hit by shrapnel. His face took the brunt of the shrapnel and his body was buried under some of the debris. He is still in a coma and until he wakes up we won't really know the extent of any brain damage he might have suffered. His arms and legs are broken but they will heal in time. I am more concerned about his facial injuries especially his left eye. He has a laceration from his eye all the way down to his chin. He underwent surgery to repair some of the damage to the eye and we are hoping he will retain his sight. He will most likely have a scar, but barring any brain damage he should make a full recovery."

Burt seemed to falter a bit but he managed to thank the doctor for doing everything possible for his son. As the doctor was leaving he asked, "Dr. Steele, can you tell me how Will Schuester is doing? He was with my son and I believe he is still in ICU."

"Mr. Hummel, I can only give out that information to family."

"His family isn't here yet. His parents were on a cruise and have finally been located. They are supposed to be flying in tomorrow morning. I would like to see him and make sure he is okay. He is family, Dr. Steele."

Dr. Steele sighed and said, "Mr. Hummel, the reason your son is alive is because Mr. Schuester shielded him from most of the debris that rained down on them. Unfortunately, Mr. Schuester died about an hour ago. I am sorry for your loss."

Thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

**a/n: This chapter has violence and death. If this is a trigger please don't read.**

Pain. That is all that he felt as he succumbed to sleep trying to hide from the ever encompassing pain. He could hear people moving and talking around him. He could hear the beeping of machines. He could hear his grandparents, Carole, his dad and Finn talking to him but all he could feel was pain.

He tried to open his eyes but they were too heavy and just trying to open them tired him out until he passed out from the effort. It was easier to just give in to the pain. He felt his mother's gentle hands soothing him as he slowly drifted into oblivion.

Kurt finally emerged from the coma three weeks after the bombing. He was confused and disoriented but at least he was awake. The insult to his brain had caused selected amnesia. He remembered his friends and family and everything up to the moment of impact but not the actual explosion. Dr. Steele explained to Burt that sometimes the brain takes refuge from what the body cannot process or handle. Other than not remembering the bombing Kurt's brain suffered no further permanent damage.

"What should I tell him when he asks about the accident," Burt asked Dr. Steele.

"I've found that the truth is always the best option. Eventually the brain will recover from the insult the bomb caused and he will probably start to remember. His memories will probably manifest themselves in nightmares or flashbacks and if he knows the truth then he will be able to reconcile these images with what actually happened. However, if you don't tell him the truth he might not be able to process any information he might remember. Of course, that does not mean that he will ever remember what happened to him but the brain is a scary place that no one can truly understand."

Burt rubbed his neck in frustration and said, "Thank you for all that you have done Dr. Steele. I will keep your advice in mind when Kurt starts asking me questions. Is he able to fly home to Lima yet?"

"I actually want to see him again in two weeks to make sure his eye is functioning correctly. By that time the swelling in his eye should have gone down enough to see if his eyesight has been impaired. The nurse will come in and take off his bandages and his eye will be sensitive to light so he will be given an eye patch to wear. We will be taking his casts off at that point and hopefully they will have healed correctly. The fact that he was in a coma helped the healing process. Most people that break bones don't strictly follow their doctor's advice and start putting pressure on the bones before they are ready to handle the rigors of daily life."

"Will his legs and arms be okay?" asked Burt.

"We won't know for sure until we take x-rays once we remove the casts. Since Mr. Schuester's body took the brunt of the debris Kurt's bones weren't shattered just fractured so I expect that he will be fine. If all goes well and I'm satisfied with his progress then I can clear him to fly back to Ohio. Until then, he needs to stay near Los Angeles. Feel free to call my office if you have any further questions. Your son is a very lucky young man Mr. Hummel."

Burt walked back into Kurt's room just as the nurse was starting to take off the bandages that had covered up about 75% of his face. He could see that Kurt's flawless pale complexion was a thing of the past. The left side of his face was a riot of purple and yellow bruises and the laceration that marred his face was puckered and an angry red color. Burt's heart gave a painful stutter – how much more could life pile on his boy he wondered? How much more would he have to endure before life completely chewed him up and spit him out?

The nurse gently cleaned Kurt's face and explained to Carole and Burt how to keep the area clean and what signs to look for that might signify an infection. She put an eye patch on the injured eye and sat back to admire her work. "You look like a pirate of old that was just involved in a mutiny or a battle at sea over treasure worth a fortune," she murmured winking at Kurt. "This will give you an air of mystery that the ladies won't be able to resist. They are going to be buzzing around you like flies around a fresh pile of manure." Burt and Carole laughed at that remarked.

"Great, just what I need ladies - swooning at my feet," quipped Kurt grumpily. A picture of Blaine flashed in his mind for a second before he had to answer some last minute questions from the nurse who was filling out his discharge paperwork.

"I'll just go get the doctor's signature and you should be ready to leave in about 30 minutes."

"Dad, can I have a mirror? I want to see what my face looks like," asked Kurt.

"Are you sure kid? Why don't we wait until all the swelling goes down?"

"Dad, I'm eventually going to run across a mirror between now and my next appointment. Does it really look that bad?"

Carole answered before Burt could reply, "Right now it does look pretty bad because of the swelling and the bruising. You can look in the mirror but your face will not look like that for long. Do you really want to see?"

"I know it probably looks bad but I do want to see my face. If I don't then I will just be imagining what it looks like and that would probably be worse," he replied biting his lips.

"Ok but just remember that it will heal with time," she said handing him a mirror. Neither one of them missed the startled gasp that Kurt could not restrain when he saw his face. Carole was right – it looked bad. Tears started streaming down his face and all Burt could do was hold his son tightly in his arms until the tears stopped.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Since Kurt had not been cleared to fly home the whole family would be staying at his grandparent's home in Palm Desert. Burt and Carole had taken turns staying at the hospital with Kurt while Finn was already safely ensconced in Palm Desert. Burt had just returned from Lima. He had taken to flying home once a week to check up on the business and to make sure his assistant was doing okay. Carole had taken an extended family leave from the hospital until both boys were settled back in Ohio.

The drive from LA to Palm Desert was a silent one. Kurt sat in the front seat with the seat pushed as far back as it could go so that his legs had room. The trip was a bit uncomfortable since his legs and arms were still in casts but he was glad to be out of the hospital. All he did was stare out the window until his pain medication kicked in and he dosed off.

Kurt was slowly being weaned off of his painkillers and eventually he was able to feel some of the fuzzy edges becoming clearer. Burt knew it was only a matter of time before he would start asking questions. As soon as he saw Kurt's face the next day he knew that day had arrived.

"Dad, I think I'm ready to finally hear the whole story. I tried to see if I could remember anything but I keep coming up blank. I know you haven't wanted to give me any details and I've been too drugged up to really figure out what are true memories or what are nightmares."

"What is the last thing you remember, kid?" asked Burt.

"I remember getting to the airport, saying bye to grandma and grandpa and the trying to lug all my luggage to the kiosk. I let everyone go ahead of me since I knew it would take me a while to check in all my bags and that Mr. Schuester stayed with me to help me," at the thought of the man that had not survived Kurt started to cry. "It's my fault that he died isn't it? If I didn't have to travel with so many clothes we would have been behind the counters and he would still be alive."

Burt soothed him and let him cry, "None of what happened was your fault Kurt. Never think that. The blame falls on those responsible for the bombing."

"But…"

"No buts Kurt, I will not sit here and listen to you take responsibility for anything that has happened. I will be forever grateful to Will Schuester for saving your life. He died doing what he loved. He loved you kids and I know that he would not want you feeling guilty about his death. The way to honor his sacrifice is by living your life Kurt not burying yourself in your grief."

Between Burt and Finn, Kurt was finally able to piece together what had happened on that day. His grandfather had taped some of the news coverage of the bombing and they all sat down and watched it together. Burt didn't want Kurt to have to turn on the television and be blindsided by the constant images of the bombing especially since they were running footage of September 11th and comparing it to the recent attack.

The number of victims was estimated in the thousands. No exact number was known since they were still digging through the rubble looking for and finding bodies on a daily basis. The bomb had taken out half of the buildings as well as the parking structures. Luckily they had been in the concourse farthest from where the van had been parked. The only option left was for LAX to be demolished and rebuilt.

His grandfather was able to explain how the civilian and military authorities had responded. Investigations were being handled and the President insisted that those responsible for this heinous crime would be punished. His Uncle George practically lived at work since the attack so Kurt was not able to get his take on the bombing.

Kurt's nightmares got worse after seeing the footage of the attack on television. He kept waking up shaking with tears streaming down his face. He tried to not wake up his parents or grandparents. He did manage to wake up Finn a few times and they both just sat there and quietly talked to each other. Finn was not a stranger to the nightmares. He was also dealing with the horror of that day.

While Finn had not been as severely injured as Kurt, he was still dealing with two broken legs and he was bored and hated not being able to hang out with his friends or participate in any physical activities. He was able to move around with the aid of a wheelchair unlike Kurt who was pretty much stuck in one place until someone was able to help move him. They sat and reminisced about how Mr. Schue had made the whole Glee Club use wheelchairs for a week. He wanted them to learn how difficult daily life was for Artie being confined to a wheelchair. The kids had learned their lesson and were more considerate of Artie.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The day for Kurt's follow up appointment arrived before they knew it. The drive to LA became a family event. Burt, Carole, Finn and Kurt drove up with his grandparents while his Uncle George managed to get a free day and followed behind with his family. They had all decided to go as a family to the appointment and then to have a nice dinner hopefully celebrating the fact that Kurt would be able to be medically cleared to fly home. While Kurt loved spending time with his grandparents he was more than ready to go back to his old life. He missed his friends and his own home.

"Well Kurt, I spoke to the orthopedic surgeon and he agrees with me that you can have the casts removed. He does want you to wear walking cast while undergoing physical therapy to prevent you from re-injuring your legs. The arms should be fine. The nurse will be here in a few minutes to remove the casts," remarked Dr. Steele.

"Am I allowed to go back to Ohio now?" asked Kurt.

"I see no problem with you going home. Make sure you follow up with your own doctor once you get there and start physical therapy as soon as possible. Make sure have your eye checked out as well although it is healing nicely and there should be no permanent damage."

"Dr. Steele, what about the scar?" asked Kurt.

"The scar will probably fade a bit with time but I think it will be with you for quite some time Kurt," said Dr. Steele. He remembered Burt saying how religiously Kurt worked on keeping his complexion in a perfect state.

"Thank you Dr. Steele. I appreciate everything you've done for me."

"That's what I'm here for Kurt. Good luck on your road to recovery," he said shaking everyone's hands.


	9. Chapter 9

A week after his casts came off Kurt found himself back in Lima. He had been ready to go home the minute the doctor had cleared him but unfortunately, they had to wait on Finn's doctor's appointment. Finn was stuck wearing his casts a few more week since he was too much of a klutz and kept trying to walk and one day managed to fall down and re-injured his legs.

The day after they flew home the Glee Club came over to welcome the boys back home. The gathering was a bit awkward and somber in the beginning but soon after they all started remembering the good times and the bad times they had had at McKinley and hey eased back into their comfort zones.

All of them had missed their graduation and Mr. Schuester's funeral. They all realized that life really does go on - even though it seems that the world should stop and acknowledge the fact that no – life wasn't the way it was supposed to be anymore. Rachel's parents were hosting a graduation party for the group and they had just been waiting for Kurt and Finn to come home. They made plans to have the party this coming weekend which would be the 4th of July weekend and they also made plans to go visit Mr. Schue's grave the next morning before everyone headed home for the evening.

When Burt got home from work that night he sat down to watch a game with Finn. Kurt wandered into the living room and sat down next to his dad. Burt had noticed changes in Kurt and had hoped that once they got back home he would go back to being himself but that wasn't happening.

"Hey kid, what did you do today?" he asked.

"Everyone came over and we planned out graduation party and are all getting together to go visit Mr. Schue's grave tomorrow."

"Do you need money for a new outfit?" Burt had learned that every occasion whether big or small was the perfect excuse for a new outfit. Therefore, he was shocked when Kurt said, "No that's ok. I will find something to wear in my closet."

Finn and Burt just stared at each other because they had never heard Kurt turn down money for a new outfit before. "You feeling ok, Kurt?" asked Burt.

"Yeah, I think I'm just going to go take a shower and get ready for bed."

"Okay, don't forget to come down after you are done moisturizing to say goodnight."

"Sure dad." Twenty minutes later Burt got the second shock of the night. Kurt came down showered, dressed in pajamas and ready to call it a night. Burt had learned over the course of living with Kurt that it normally took Kurt about 2 hours to get ready for anything, either going out or going to bed. His face cleansing routine was an exact science that he never skimped on. It was truly a miracle that Burt's heart didn't just fail right then and there!

"Okay, dad I'm going to bed. Night Finn," he said as he started back to his room.

Now – Finn was not known for being a deep thinker but even he had noticed changes in Kurt. He was as surprised as his dad that Kurt was different but he didn't know what to make of the changes. For example, ever since they had been home Kurt pretty much wore only sweats or regular jeans and t-shirts. Finn hadn't seen him in any of his skinny jeans or bondage outfits. His hair was combed but not _styled_ like before and tennis shoes were all he wore whenever the need for shoes arose.

Burt sighed and followed Kurt to his room. "What's the matter?"

"What do you mean dad," replied Kurt as he crawled into bed.

"Kurt, you've always dressed like you own your own personal chocolate factory and your always messing around with all those expensive lotions and creams and "doing" your hair which always looks the same. I haven't seen you do any of that since we've gotten home from California. Can you talk to me about it?"

Kurt's eyes were swimming in unshed tears as he looked as his dad and said, "What is the importance of spending so much time doing silly, asinine things when people died dad? Mr. Schue is dead! My silly life is meaningless! Why spend time on my complexion when I have this scar running down my face! I look hideous! My lotions won't change that. Will my life go back to "normal" if I wear "regular" clothes rather than cutting edge fashion designs? No. I'm different dad. I've changed and all those trappings and silly routines I did before mean nothing to me right now. I've realized that the things I need in life are my family and friends and I would rather spend those two hours it took to wash my face sitting down with you and Finn watching the game or talking to Carole."

Burt didn't know how to comfort his son so he just held him until he had cried himself to sleep. Dr. Steele had given Burt a list of psychiatrists in the Lima area that specialized in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Finn had mentioned that talking to the military shrinks had really helped him understand what had happened. Unfortunately, Kurt had been in a coma and had not benefited from speaking to the specialists. He would have to find that list tomorrow morning he thought as he tucked Kurt into bed and made his way downstairs.

Burt headed to the shop after dropping off the boys at the cemetery. They would catch a ride home with Puck. Kurt insisted he was able to drive but the doctors had said he shouldn't drive until his eye was completely healed and he didn't have to wear his pirate patch (as Finn referred to the eye patch) any longer.

He was changing the oil on a new Mustang when he heard the phone ringing. He barely got to it before it went to voicemail. "Hummel's Tires and Lube, Burt speaking. How can I help you?"

"Uh – Hi. This might sound strange but I was wondering if you know a Kurt Hummel?" asked the caller.

"Who is this?"

"My name is Blaine Anderson. I am a student at Dalton Academy and I met Kurt at Nationals in LA and he gave me his cell phone but my cell phone was lost in the explosion and I've been trying to get a hold of him."

Burt knew that Kurt had been bullied at school and was the brunt of many jokes from the jocks at McKinley. He wasn't about to serve up his baby boy to this Blaine person on a silver platter without talking to Kurt first. "Kurt is my son," he said.

"Oh wow – I hoped – I mean could I please speak with him?"

"Listen here kid. I don't know who you are or if Kurt even knows you so what I can do is take down your number and let Kurt decide whether he wants to contact you or not. How's that sound?"

"Thank you Mr. Hummel. That's sounds fair. The last time I saw Kurt was few minutes before the explosion and he had just waved goodbye. I heard about Mr. Schuester but I was wondering if you could tell me how he is doing. Is he okay?"

"Kurt's had a rough time but he is ok now. He can tell you all about it if he is so inclined. If there isn't anything else, young man I really need to get back to work."

"Oh, okay. Goodbye."

Kurt was raw. He felt like his skin was one big nerve ending and he couldn't find a way to get comfortable of find peace. It had taken all of his control to not throw himself on Mr. Schue's tombstone and beg him for forgiveness. No matter how many times everyone told him it wasn't his fault he knew – deep down inside – he knew it was his fault Mr. Schue was dead. He fell asleep as soon as he got home. He was so emotionally exhausted and he could feel a migraine coming on that he took some painkillers knowing that they would make him groggy and eventually knock him out.

He dreamed that he was floating on clouds and all of a sudden he heard his mother's voice calling him. He turned and saw her beckon him towards her. There was a man standing with her and as he got closer he saw that it was Mr. Schue. He started crying and stuttering, "I'm s-s-sorry….I-I'm sorry…it's all my fault…"

He felt his mother's arms around him and smelled her perfume and she was soothing him and telling him everything was going to be okay.

Mr. Schue started talking to him letting him know that he didn't blame Kurt for his death and that his time on Earth had expired. He was just eternally grateful that he had been able to save a Kurt's life before he had died.

"Kurt – saving you was the best thing I have ever done. I would have died that day no matter the place or time. It is as simple as that Kurt. My time was up. I am just glad I was able to be there for you when you needed me. You are destined to make a difference Kurt. You matter and please don't give up on life."

Kurt felt his mother's hands rubbing circles on his back just like she used to when he was younger and had trouble sleeping. He felt the warmth of her hands and it not only soothed him physically but emotionally as well. He nuzzled into her warmth but instead of her perfume he smelled oil, grease and his father's aftershave.

"Hey kid – you were mumbling and moaning in your sleep. You okay?" asked his father.

Kurt sat up blinking, "Dad? I dreamed about mom and somehow she's hanging out with Mr. Schue….which was kind of confusing…I felt a migraine coming on and took some pills and I guess I must have dozed off. I must have been dreaming or hallucinating or something. It was really strange but I feel better. As a matter of fact I'm starving!"

"Carole just finished dinner so wash up and come downstairs. Oh, before I forget do you know a Blaine Anderson?"

"Yeah, I met him at Nationals. Why?"

"He called the shop looking for you and I promised I would give you his contact information. So if you want his number be downstairs in five minutes," Burt didn't say anything else as he turned and walked downstairs but he did notice that Kurt flew off the bed and ran into the bathroom.


	10. Chapter 10

**a/n: I accidentally uploaded the wrong chapter but I fixed it thanks to ScullyBliss. **

Kurt almost missed the last two steps in his rush to get downstairs "Damn it," he mumbled. He still couldn't get used to wearing his eye patch and how it sometimes skewed his vision which is why his dad wouldn't let him drive.

"Where you off to is such a rush Matey?" laughed Finn. "Get it…Get it…."matey" as in First Mate…Ships….Pirates….Get it now?" he asked looking up at Kurt's bitch face.

"You know Finn a joke really isn't a joke if you have to explain it to the audience."

Finn's eyes narrowed and he started shoveling food into his mouth. Kurt sat down and found that he actually had an appetite. He had lost quite a bit of weight in the last few months and he hadn't really had much of an appetite since he got home. Everyone just stared at him as he piled chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and biscuits onto his plate. Carole raised her eyebrows but didn't make any comments. Finn and Burt just watched him eat _every_ single bite forgetting about their own food.

"Dude, I've never seen you eat so much - especially chicken. I think you even tried to suck the marrow out of that drumstick. You normally eat a tiny slice of the chicken breast and a salad not the whole damn chicken! You didn't even leave enough for me to have seconds. I doubt you are going to fit into your skinny jeans if you keep eating like that," grumbled Finn.

"Maybe," said Kurt, "but I know my sweats will fit – HA!" he exclaimed taking Finn's biscuit and jamming it into his mouth.

"Hey! That's my biscuit,"

"Wxmghsoejne….I mean – it was your biscuit," laughed Kurt leaning away from Finn's arm as he tried to slug Kurt.

"Boys! That's enough! Finn finish your dinner and Kurt try not to speak with your mouth full of food," said Carole trying to keep a smile from ruining her reprimand.

Burt felt a warm feeling start at his feet and settle into his chest. He was so damn happy to hear Kurt laughing and joking with his brother that he had to struggle from breaking out into tears. He blinked a few times and felt Carole squeeze his arm gently. He wasn't sure if his earlier talk with Kurt, the fact that Blaine had called, Kurt's dream or just finally getting to visit Mr. Schue's grave had made the difference in his demeanor. Whatever it was Burt was just happy to see his son starting to come back to the land of the living.

He took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Kurt.

"What is this dad….Oh – thanks dad!" said Kurt blushing slightly while Burt just laughed teasingly.

"What's that dude," asked Finn.

"Blaine's phone number."

"Who's Blaine?"

"You met him at Nationals Finn. He was the lead singer for the Warblers."

"The little, hobbit looking kid with the gel helmet sitting on his head?" laughed Finn although one look at Kurt's face stopped his laughter immediately. "Right, well ok then. I think I will just finish eating," he said as he lowered his face and started eating.

"Dinner was delicious Carole. May I be excused?" asked Kurt looking at his parents.

"Only if you promise to tell me all about your conversation with Blaine," teased Carole watching Kurt's face turn a bright shade of pink.

"Umm, okay," he said as he started running up the stairs. This time he did manage to miss the last step and fell down. He was so embarrassed and he tried to stand up in a dignified manner while listening to everyone howl with laughter at his expense. He was in such a hurry to call Blaine that he just stuck his tongue out at everyone and walked down the hallway to his bedroom.

As soon as he got to his bedroom he realized that he didn't have a cell phone anymore. He remembered how attached he had been to his phone before and was never without it but now he had totally forgotten the phone had been a victim of May 13th as well. He would have to ask his dad if he could have another phone but for the meantime this meant that he would have to go back downstairs and use the phone in the living room.

"Hey dad, do you think we can go out tomorrow and get me a cell phone?" he asked as he walked down the stairs carefully this time.

"Sure. We can go after breakfast. Finn – did you hear that? Be dressed and ready by breakfast if you want a phone as well."

"Awesome. Kurt, wake me up when you are done taking a shower," said Finn as Kurt sat on the couch and picked up the phone.

Burt watched him as he just sat there staring at the phone and not dialing the number. "What's wrong Kurt?"

"I just remembered that I don't look the same," running his hand lightly over the left side of his face. "I kinda look like a freaky pirate that lost his ship. I mean I'm no Johnny Depp," his insecurities shining through were heartbreaking to see. "I just don't want to get all excited about seeing him and then have him take one look at me and be repulsed by my face."

"Blaine was there that day Kurt. He knows what happened. He probably doesn't know the extent of the injuries you suffered but I'm sure you aren't going to scare him off with your looks. He must have thought you were interesting enough to try and locate you. Why don't you give him a chance?"

Kurt was torn – should he call or should he just forget about Blaine. He started dialing the number. A lyric ran through his head – he couldn't quite remember the artist but "…..life's too short to even care at all oh oh…." kept running through his head and he seriously knew that life was too short to care about certain things +as he kept dialing the number. He liked Blaine and screw it - he was done with worrying about what people might say or think about him so from now on he resolved to live life to the fullest.

He could hear the phone ringing and before he knew it was being answered, "Hello."

Kurt felt like hanging up or throwing up as he stammered a response, "H-Hi is this Blaine?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Kurt Hummel."

"Kurt! Oh wow! I'm so glad you called!" exclaimed Blaine. "I wasn't too sure your dad would give you my message but I'm glad to hear from you. How have you been?"

"I'm okay now. How have you been?" Kurt could hear people talking in the background and he heard Blaine mumble something he couldn't quite catch.

"Kurt, I really am glad you called. My parents are having some sort of dinner thing and I am being summoned to make an appearance. Can we meet somewhere to talk tomorrow?"

"I can't drive anywhere Blaine. I had surgery on my eye and I haven't been cleared to drive yet."

"That's no problem. I could swing by to pick you up. We could go get coffee or something. Is this your cell number? Can you text me your address so I know where I am going?"

"This is my house phone. I don't have a cell phone yet but you can call me tomorrow before you head out and I can give you my address," said Kurt.

"I can't wait to see you Kurt. Tomorrow around noon okay? I really have to go now. Thanks for calling."

"I will see you tomorrow. Bye," said Kurt hardly able to contain his excitement any longer as he hung up the phone and did a little victory dance around the sofa. He heard giggles and looked up to see Carole standing by the doorway to the kitchen.

"Everything ok?" she asked giggling softly.

"He asked me to go out for coffee tomorrow around noon so we could talk!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her hands and twirled her around the living room.

"Be careful with your feet Kurt. You don't want to fall down and hurt yourself and not be able to go out tomorrow do you?" asked Burt enjoying the sight of the two dancing around the room. "Now get to bed. I'm sure you want to be well rested for your date tomorrow."

"Date…who has a date?" asked Finn walking in from the kitchen.

At the word date – Kurt blanched and sat down on the couch…."Date…I have a date," he mumbled. He slowly got up and started climbing the stairs to his room. "I have a date….," he kept repeating as he got ready for bed.


	11. Chapter 11

Kurt was awake before everyone else. Actually it could be argued that he had never really gone to sleep. He kept alternating between wanting to call Blaine and cancel the date and totally freaking out that he was actually going to see Blaine today. His mind was chaotic and he was starting to feel a headache coming on and finally decided to try and get some sleep. As he cuddled into his comforter and snuggled up with Jake, his stuffed mallard, he dozed off for about an hour until his alarm went off.

His bleary eyes could barely focus as he walked to the bathroom. After a quick shower he managed to wake up Finn before he went started breakfast. His dad was already sitting there reading the paper when he walked into the kitchen.

"Morning kid…is Finn awake?"

"Yeah, he should be ready in a minute," said Kurt as he quickly scrambled some eggs and made toast.

"We need to hurry and get over to Verizon before too long or else we might not get home in time for your date son," he looked at Kurt and noticed that Kurt seemed to be dragging himself around.

"What's wrong?"

"Not sure…I really want to see Blaine but look at me dad. I'm not the same person I was a few weeks ago. I can't sleep without nightmares. I'm all fucked up mentally. I'm scarred not only physically but psychologically. I hallucinate when I take pain killers and I can't even read without having my eyes go all cross-eyed. Should I saddle someone with all this luggage that even I can't handle? Is that fair?" he asked so frustrated that he didn't notice he had drawn blood from where his fingernails were digging into his palms.

"At the risk of sounding like an ass, I gotta say Kurt – life is not fair. Yep, you are pretty messed up right now but that is through no fault of your own. I made an appointment for you with one of the doctors that Dr. Steele recommended and hopefully that will help you deal with some of this stuff. I really think you should go on this date. Try to just have fun talking to Blaine. It's not like you are planning on getting married tomorrow. Hell, you might even find that he is totally not your type."

"Blaine is so totally my type dad!" smiled Kurt.

"Well I guess you will never know if you don't give him a chance – will you?"

"I'm sounding like an idiot aren't I?" murmured Kurt.

"No you are sounding like someone who has lived through something pretty traumatic. I did notice that Jake is back on your bed this morning. I haven't seen Jake in years," said Burt remembering that Kurt's mother had brought home Jake from one of her business trips shortly before she died. After her death, Kurt couldn't seem to let go of Jake. He even managed to smuggle Jake into school on a daily basis. Of course he stayed in Kurt's backpack but just knowing Jake was near was enough for Kurt.

"Ummm…yeah, I couldn't sleep one night and I saw him sitting on my dresser so I just took him down to cuddle with him for a bit. Now he refuses to go back on the dresser," said Kurt dryly. "Even my hang-ups have attitude."

"Hey don't be embarrassed. If Jake helps - cuddle away son, now let's get moving…..FINN get your ass in here and eat breakfast so we can go!" he yelled hoping Finn could hear him.

"Okay, okay, jeez give a guy in a wheelchair a break why don't you!" exclaimed Finn.

After they all finished breakfast they headed to the Verizon store to get their new cell phones. They rushed back home and it was already 11:30 and Kurt's could feel the freakin' butterflies in his stomach turning into pterodactyls and attacking his intestines. He was so nervous he could feel an anxiety attack wanting to hit. He tried to calm down and ran upstairs and checked himself in the mirror. He was wearing loose fitting jeans and a button down dress shirt. Nothing fancy or elaborate just "regular folk" clothes as Burt liked to call them. He put on his converse tennis shoes and he was ready to go when he heard the doorbell ring.

He walked down the stairs carefully – he didn't want to end up sprawled on the floor in front of Blaine in his rush to get downstairs. He could hear his dad talking to Blaine in the living room and he in his breath when he caught sight of Blaine. Damn, the boy was gorgeous! How could his dad think this boy was not his type?

As if on cue, Bliane looked up and saw Kurt and smiled, "Hi there."

"H-H-Hi," great thought Kurt he sounded like someone who had suffered permanent brain damage.

"Are you ready to go? I was telling your dad that we would be going to get coffee at the Lima Bean and then play it by ear if that is okay with you?"

"That's sounds fine. Bye dad. I have my cell phone on in case you need to reach me."

"Nice to meet you Blaine – make sure you have him home before curfew and call if you guys are running late," said Burt closing the door on the two boys and unashamedly peeking out the living room window. He saw that Blaine opened the car door for Kurt before closing it and running around to the driver side. Kurt dating was new territory for Burt and he wasn't sure what the rules were for a gay couple. Did they take turns opening doors or paying for dinner? He would have to ask Kurt so that he didn't make any assumptions that would later bite him in the ass.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoooxox

"Can we address the ugly, white elephant in the room…or should we say puckered, pink elephant in the room?" he said as he fingered his scar.

Blaine just raised his eyebrows and looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about my scar, Blaine. Have you not noticed it?"

"Well yeah, Kurt, I noticed it - but I was there that day I know what happened."

"Does the eye patch or the scar bother you?" asked Kurt.

"Yes – but not in the way you might think," said Blaine as he caught Kurt's hand. As soon as he had uttered the first word Kurt had stood up and was ready to walk away. Blaine barely managed to catch his hand before he left. "Let me explain. It bothers me that you have to endure the pain and the daily reminder of that day. The fact that you were injured and that those injuries are visible does not bother me. I am not repulsed by that Kurt. I have my own injuries."

Kurt raked his eyes over Blaine and looked at him questioningly.

"Do you remember that we were farther away from you guys in the airport? Whenever we travel to perform we always wear our Dalton uniforms. Those uniforms are made of this harsh polyester material that is seemingly very flammable. Of course, now that this interesting tidbit has been discovered the Dalton uniform has received a much needed facelift."

"I don't understand what you are saying Blaine."

"Like you I also carry scars. The explosion knocked me off my feet. I flew a few feet in the air and landed on a pile of burning debris. I was knocked unconscious and did not notice that my uniform was on fire. I received some nasty burns on most of my torso. I was lucky that one of my friends was able to roll me around and stop the fire before the burns went any deeper. I've had to have a few skin grafts and I will probably need a few more but to answer your question – no – your scars don't faze me."

Blaine looked at Kurt and said, "Ever since I heard you sing in Coachella, I've thought of you and hated that I was too scared to go up and ask you for your name and number. I can't believe that I've gotten a chance to get to know you. I've been calling around Ohio to every Hummel listed online. I had actually called your dad's shop but some guy just kept telling me to call back later. I never stopped calling Kurt. I think I called the shop about three times a week until finally I was able to talk to your dad. I like you Kurt. I mean I really like _like_ you and I want to see if this goes anywhere."

Kurt was speechless. He had never had anyone interested in him, well other that Karofsky, but he wasn't counting closeted, aggressive homosexuals that tried to sexually molest you at every turn.

"Wow, I really like you too Blaine and I want the chance to see if this develops into anything as well. I just have to warn you that I still have issues to deal with resulting from the attack. I still have some bad days but if you are willing to see where this goes then I am okay with that. I noticed that I've changed quite a bit since that day and I know how heartless this world can be so I've decided to just live life to the fullest which is why I decided to clear things up right away. Had that attack never happened I bet I would have danced around the topic of liking you for months before telling you how I really feel about you."

"I know what you mean. Having survived has changed my outlook on life. I don't take people or things for granted anymore," whispered Blaine. He seemed lost for a bit but then he shook his head and focused on Kurt. "I'm really glad you decided to see me."

Kurt leaned over and held his hand gently and whispered, "Me too."


	12. Chapter 12

a/n: Disclaimer: Still don't own Glee or any of the characters that appear on Glee. The other characters are all figments of my imagination. :)

Summer was almost over. Blaine and Kurt spent every moment they could together. Kurt was finally able to ditch the pirate look and had been cleared by the doctor to drive. Finn was also cleared and was finally out of his casts.

Kurt was seeing his therapist twice and a week and he actually enjoyed the sessions. He was trying to come to terms with his survivor guilt but he couldn't necessarily shake the feeling that his life had no purpose. He had finally received a letter from NYADA giving him the dates for Freshmen Orientation and he had been thrilled to finally have a reporting date. Blaine had applied to various Ivy League Universities and had been accepted at all of them and now had to decide which one to accept.

At his next therapy session, Dr. Fahey asked Kurt what his plans were for the fall.

"I'm not sure yet."

"What date do you have to report to NYADA?"

"In 3 weeks. It's strange that before all this happened I was excited about NYADA but I'm not sure what happened to that excitement. I knew what I wanted to do in life and what I had to do to accomplish my goals. I wanted to attend NYADA, be on Broadway, design a cutting-edge fashion line, be legally married by 30, and live in New York. "

"And now?" asked Dr. Fahey.

"Now I don't know what I want. I saw on the news how there was an attack on the American Embassy in one of the European countries and there was an attempt on the American Embassy in Japan. I can't seem to stop watching the news and I keep following all the harrowing scenes of people fighting and dying for our freedom. I try to talk to my uncle and my grandfather about what is happening and they keep me updated on what is happening in current events. Both are extremely knowledgeable on politics and the war on terrorism and it fascinates me and terrifies me, but I can't seem to stop this fascination."

"What do you mean it terrifies you? Are you thinking about your own experiences?"

"Sure, I mean, yeah – I think about what happened to us all the time but why is it really bothering me now? Why didn't it bother me as much when my mom died on 9-11?

"You were really young when your mother died and I think your father shielded you from most of what happened. It was enough that you had just lost your mother and dealing with that fact alone left no room for anything else in your life. According to your dad it took you about 6 months to stop waking up screaming for your mother to come home."

"I guess – I'm not sure I remember too much about what happened back then. How do I figure out what I want to do with my life in 3 short weeks?"

"You need to really sit and think about what you want to do and maybe part of that process is realizing that your priorities have shifted. Just because your dreams might be different does not mean they are not valid. I think you have to accept that you have changed quite a bit in such a short time and in such a dramatic way. You are allowed to re-think your life Kurt."

"Really? I've never thought of it in those terms. The hard part is that I have to make decisions that will affect the rest of my life in 3 short weeks."

"Let's try something new."

Kurt just looked at him with narrowed eyes and nodded. "I'm going to say a word and you tell me the first thing that comes to your mink. Don't over think it just blurt out your first thought."

"Great – now I'm a blurter?" laughed Kurt. Dr. Fahey was not amused, "Ready?"

"Life – Death," answered Kurt thinking this is going to be easy.

"Eyes – Hazel"

"Sad – Happy"

"Home – Dad"

"Safe – ummm," Kurt froze. He couldn't process this word and his breath started to quicken, "Happy," he said shaking himself.

"Music – Singing"

"New York - ...Lima," he didn't quite know why he hesitated.

"War - ….," Kurt blanked out… "Peace."

"Freedom – Fight"

"Love – Blaine," WTF was that? Where did that come from he wondered? Sure he liked Blaine and the boy was gorgeous but did he love him?

Dr. Fahey looked at Kurt and laughed, "It seems you don't have any problems with your love life. However, the words that gave you pause are ones you might have issues with to some degree. The words safe, New York and war were the ones that you had to think about."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you are uncomfortable with responding to these words and it can give us a starting point in trying to figure out why these words have you feeling this way."

"Does it mean I won't feel safe if I live in New York or do I think a war will break out in New York and I won't be safe?"

"No. It's not that literal. Your answer to love was Blaine." Kurt blushed. "This means that you didn't have to think about this. You automatically associated Blaine with love because this is how you think of him. However, you have issues with the word safe."

"I think being a survivor of a terrorist attack might give anyone a complex about ever being "safe," he said sarcastically.

"True. The same can be said for the word war, Kurt. New York surprised me. I didn't think you would react to that word."

"So, Dr. Fahey, what I learned at this session is that I don't feel safe. I have issues with the word war and that I'm not sure if I want to live in New York. That still doesn't help me decide where I want to be in 3 weeks."

"No, but it gives you a place to start your thinking process and it can help you focus on what is really bothering you."

"I guess I just have to actually lock myself in my room until I figure out what I want to do, huh?"

"Just remember that your family is there and they can help you if you need them. Don't try to do this on your own – because you will drive yourself crazy."

"I think I've been crazy since May Dr. Fahey. See you next week." He walked outside to find Blaine waiting to pick him up for their movie date.

"Hey you – have you been waiting long?"

"Not really. I just got here a few minutes ago. Did everything go ok? You seem a little….off somehow."

"I apparently have issues," he smiled wondering if he was really in love with Blaine.

"Don't we all?"

"Not sure about you Blaine, but it seems that mine have been professionally diagnosed so while you can still deny yours I must confront mine before I am declared legally insane."

"Right now? Do you need me to take you home?"

Kurt gave him his "Bitch Please," look, "Of course not RIGHT NOW!"

"Oh – okay…we still on for the movie?" Kurt nodded and looked out the window while he cleared his mind of his "issues" so he could try to enjoy his date with Blaine.

After the movies and dinner they were laying on the couch watching The Lion King and cuddling when Kurt asked, "Have you decided what you are going to do about college?"

"My parents contacted the universities I was accepted to and explained that I was a May 13th survivor and that I might have to start school in the Spring rather than the Fall session due to the possibility of more surgeries. They were all surprisingly willing to work with my parents. I just need to make up my mind where I want to attend school and let them know officially so that a spot can be reserved for me. At this point, my parents don't want me too far from home. What about you?"

"Not sure yet what I'm going to do," he answered. There was an idea brewing in his mind and truthfully it had been there for a while but he had not really thought about it in depth. It had never seemed like a realistic option before, and he wasn't sure how his dad would react to the idea. He needed to make some calls tomorrow. It was about time he made a decision about his future.

The next morning Kurt searched his room until he found that business card he remembered getting from Jim on his way home from California after Spring Break. "Here it is," he muttered reading the card, "Technical Sergeant Jim Chase, Air Force Recruiter." He quickly dialed the number and heard the crisp salutation on the other end.

"Hi Jim, this is Kurt Hummel. You probably don't remember me but I met you on a flight back home from Palm Springs. I'd like to come down to the recruiting station to get some information about joining the military."


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning Kurt ate breakfast with his dad before his appointment at the recruiter's office. He wasn't sure if he should mention the appointment to his dad and decided that he would tell him about it afterwards.

"You're dressed early Kurt. Do you have plans with Blaine today?" Burt said as he finished his breakfast and started clearing up the table. Carole had already left for her early shift at the hospital.

"I'm going by the mall today and thought I should get an early start before it gets too hot outside. I'm meeting Blaine at the mall for lunch later on," he answered. He figured his dad would probably think Kurt was going shopping at the mall. He conveniently didn't correct his assumption. He wasn't actually lying; he was really _going by the mall_ since the recruiter's office was located right next to the mall.

"Here is some money in case you need to buy some clothes. I know you haven't bought anything in the past few months, and you should really start thinking about getting some things you might need for school."

"Thanks dad," he said although he knew he wouldn't spend any of it until he figured out what he was going to do.

"Be safe," said Burt as he gave his son a hug. "Love ya." He never failed to let his son know how much he loved him. He never knew if this would be the last time he saw his son alive and he wanted the last words he ever said to his son to be words of love.

"Love you too, dad." Kurt never got tired of hearing those words and squeezed his dad a bit tighter.

Kurt walked in to the recruiter's office and noticed that Jim was on the phone. Jim looked up and signaled to him to take a sit and that he would be with him as soon as he could. He nodded and sat down looking around him at all the posters and pictures on the walls. He noticed that there was a "fame" wall with pictures of all the young men and women that had enlisted in the past few months. Kurt was amazed at the sheer number of kids that had decided to join the military.

"Hi Kurt, I'm glad to see you here. You mentioned on the phone that you wanted some information about joining the Air Force," he said shaking Kurt's hand. He immediately noticed the scar, but he figured Kurt would tell him about it if he wanted him to know the details. He led Kurt to a chair next to his desk and asked, "I remember you were pretty set on attending school in New York. Can I ask what has made you look into possibly joining the Air Force?"

He watched Kurt touch his face. He didn't even think the boy realized he was fingering his scar before he said, "I was in LAX on May 13th."

Jim didn't need any more explanations. He himself had joined the military after September 11th. Even though he had not been anywhere near New York when it happened he had answered his country's call. He knew that people reacted differently in times of strife. Some people were able to go on living their lives if they were not personally impacted by tragedy while others took it as a personal insult and demanded retribution.

"I see. Is there anything in particular you needed to ask me before I start my spiel on the wonders of the military life?"

"I'm familiar with the military life Jim. My grandfather was in the Air Force and my uncle is in the Marine Corps. I'm not really sure what I want to do or what I'm really looking for at the moment but I did want to come in and see what I would have to do if I decided this is what I want to do."

"You would have to take the Armed Services Aptitude Test and take a physical to make sure you are eligible to enlist. Have you ever been convicted of a felony or are you a drug user?"

"No and the only drugs I use have been prescribed by a doctor."

"Do you mind telling me about your injuries?"

"I had some broken bones and my face was struck by shrapnel. I was lucky I didn't lose my eye although I did lose my good looks," he said as he unconsciously touched his scar.

"You were very lucky Kurt."

"What made you think about the military?"

Kurt thought for a few seconds trying to figure out how to put his thoughts into words. "My mother was in the Twin Towers on September 11th. I was too young at the time to really understand what had occurred, but I know the impact that her loss has had on my life. After May 13th, I've followed the news and for some unknown reason I feel the need to do "something." I'm not sure what that "something" should be, but I'm positive NY is not where I am meant to be. I want to make a difference. I want to be a part of the solution to this war on terrorism. I need to know that I can help make this country safer so that there are other little boys and girls who don't grow up without a parent because of terrorism. I survived for a reason. My teacher sacrificed his life so that I could live and I want to honor that sacrifice. I need to make a difference. I see my uncle make a difference every day as he serves his country. He is directly involved in this war and that is what I want…no – it's what I need."

"There are many ways to make a difference Kurt. You don't necessarily need to join the military. I would love to sign you up right now but I need you to make sure this is what you want. Have you discussed this with your family?

"Not yet. I wanted to get some basic information before I discussed it with my dad."

Jim grabbed some brochures and went over the basic information Kurt would need to know in order to make an informed decision. "The good thing about having family in the military is you have access to a lot of information that is not necessarily covered in these brochures."

"When would I leave if I decide to enlist?"

"You would have to take the ASVAB test and then take a physical. If everything goes well you could be at Lackland AFB starting boot camp by September. Do you want me to make an appointment for you to take the test? You would have to go to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) in Columbus to take the test."

"Go ahead and schedule me for next week this way I can at least have that done ahead of time." Kurt left the recruiting office with a handful of pamphlets and a study guide for the ASVAB test. He was hurrying since it was almost time to meet Blaine at the food court. He really wanted to talk to someone and he hoped Blaine didn't mind being his sounding board. He got to the food court and found a quiet corner to sit while he waited for Blaine. He couldn't take his eyes off of him once he spotted him heading his way. Do I really love him? What does love feel like? What is going to happen to us once we both leave Lima? All he knew was the he had a shitload of questions but no answers….

Blaine gave him a sweet smile and sat down in front of him, "Hi." The boys were getting used to each other. They were at the point where they would spend hours cuddling but had not progressed farther than kissing and hugging. They were playing it safe because they both knew that they were leaving Lima in a few weeks and were hesitant to really get too serious for fear of being left heartbroken. In reality, they were both falling head over heels in love with each other but were too afraid to acknowledge their feelings.

Blaine noticed the pamphlets Kurt was holding and opened one. "Air Force?" he asked.

"I'm thinking about it," Kurt answered as he fiddled with his keys.

"What about school? I thought you were going to NYADA."

"I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately and the military is an option I want to explore," he really didn't want to come out and say he had just about made up his mind.

"The military – wow – I just can even process that. I don't think I've ever considered that but after LAX, I can see the possibilities. Terrorist acts do tend to bring out our patriotism. Have you made your decision?" he asked. He had been thinking about schools in NY so that he could be closer to Kurt but had not mentioned the fact to Kurt.

"I'm still thinking about it and I need to talk to my dad but I am really leaning in favor of the military. I think I can make a difference. Are you hungry?" he asked trying to change the topic.

"I'm always hungry," said Blaine. Kurt's news had thrown him for a loop. He really liked Kurt and wanted to take this relationship further. That was the part that sucked about connecting with each other right before they were to start a new chapter in their lives. He thought they might have a chance if both were at least in the same state but who knows where Kurt would end up if he joined the military.

They ate lunch quietly. They were both engrossed in their own thoughts. Neither boy knew what to do at this point. They were watching a movie later that afternoon when Kurt's phone rang. Kurt hung up after a short conversation and said, "I have to go to Columbus on Friday to take the ASVAB test. Do you want to go with me? We could spend the afternoon hitting the big mall there, have dinner and then drive back."

"I don't have any plans so I would be more than happy to go with you," said Blaine.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Kurt sat down the next day and had a long conversation with Burt. The one true constant in Kurt's life was the fact that his father loved him unconditionally. He knew his father wanted him to be happy no matter what the cost. His father was hesitant about giving him his blessing but in the end he realized that this is what Kurt needed to do to get back some of what he had lost so early in life. He spoke to his father-in-law and was assured that Jonathan would keep an eye on Kurt. The General's influence and networking skills would come in handy and Burt planned on taking advantage of this father-in-law's influence.

It was decided that Blaine would drive to Columbus. He picked up Kurt early enough to make sure they had plenty of time to make the appointment. Once they checked in at the reception hall they were ushered upstairs to the testing room. The test was a computerized version which would make it possible for Kurt to take a print out of his scores back to his recruiter.

While Kurt was taking his test Blaine started a conversation with one of the Sergeants manning the reception desk.

"Are you interested in joining the military," he asked Blaine.

"I'm just here keeping my friend company."

"Why don't you take the test and see what happens?"

"Don't you have to schedule an appointment?"

"Normally you do but there is an empty slot in about 10 minutes if you want to take the test. How about it?"

Blaine laughed, "I take it your quota for the month is falling a bit short."

"Actually, out enlistment numbers are off the chart. Ever since the attack in California there has been an overwhelming number of people that have enlisted wanting to serve their country. The same thing happened after 9-11. I guess people feel defenseless in the face of such acts and they need to feel like they can make a difference in making our country safer."

Blaine finally agreed to take the test and before long he was being handed an envelope with his test results. Kurt was surprised when he found out that Blaine had taken the test. He looked at Blaine who just shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'm not sure why I took it but it felt right." He didn't know what he meant by those words but something inside of him shifted as he had listened to the Sergeant speak.

"Ready to go do some shopping?" asked Kurt as he led the way out of the MEPS station."

"Ready," answered Blaine although his mind was trying to make sense of his feelings. Sitting at that desk taking the test he kept hearing the words "….make a difference in making our country safer" tumbling around his brain looking for release. He wasn't sure what was happening but his interest was something to think about when he got home.

**a/n: Should Blaine go with Kurt? I could go either way…..let me know what you think.**


	14. Chapter 14

Blaine dropped off Kurt at his house and headed home. He couldn't stop thinking about the military. None of his family had ever served in the military so there was really no one he could talk to about this. He really needed to figure out his thoughts and feelings. Was he interested because Kurt was going? Was this just a way to stay near Kurt? If he were honest with himself he would admit that everything he did – he did with Kurt in mind. He finally stopped fighting the feelings he had for Kurt. He was seriously in love with him and couldn't even think about being without him for one minute of the day. He also knew he couldn't tell Kurt how he felt – not when neither one of them knew where they would be next month. Kurt was struggling with a bunch of stuff and he didn't need to burden him with his fucked up thoughts. He needed to do this by himself.

Once he got home he looked up the number for the Air Force Recruiting Office and even though he knew they were closed for the night he called and left a message and a call back number. He figured they were closed on the weekends so Monday was the earliest he was expecting a call back. He was getting ready to go spend the day with Kurt on Saturday morning when his phone buzzed. He answered and was surprised to hear the recruiter on the line.

"Hi, this is Tech Sergeant Chase, is this Blaine Anderson?"

"Umm – yeah, hi – thanks for returning my call."

"What can I do for you Blaine?"

"My friend, Kurt, took the ASVAB test in Columbus yesterday and I tagged along as company. I ended up taking the ASVAB as well and I would like to find out more about the military. Do you think I could stop by soon to speak with you?"

"We are closed on weekends but we do check our messages twice a day which is how I got your number. How about coming in Monday morning to talk to me? Make sure you bring the print out that they gave you at the MEPS station."

"Ok – see you Monday morning." He debated calling Kurt and talking to him about this but he decided not to for now. He hurried out the door – Kurt was waiting.

Blaine walked into the recruiting office early Monday morning with tons of questions on his mind. He and Kurt had spent all weekend watching movies, cuddling and just trying not to think about the fact that time was flying and it was almost time for him to go. He had finally made up his mind about NYADA and was planning on calling the school this morning to decline his acceptance. He knew that even if he didn't pass the physical for the military, NYADA was no longer an option for him. Blaine was supportive even though his heart was breaking into tiny pieces at the thought of Kurt leaving.

"Hi," he said to the man sitting at the desk. "I have an appointment with Mr. Chase, my name is Blaine Anderson."

"Nice to see you Blaine, I'm Tech Sergeant Chase. What can I do for you?"

"I need you to answer these questions," he said as he pulled out a list of written questions from his pocket.

"You made a list?" smiled TSgt Chase.

Blaine blushed, "I tend to write down important stuff so that I don't forget what I need to do. I have a tendency to get carried away sometimes and forget whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing….like now…."

TSgt Chase laughed, "Well then, I'm glad you wrote them down then. Can I see the list?"

Blaine handed him the list and then they both sat down and they went through the list question by question. Blaine was impressed with how in depth TSgt Chase answered each question. After an hour of answering questions, Blaine was almost positive this is what he wanted do regardless of whether or not Kurt was able to pass his physical to get into the military.

"Any other questions you might have that you did not write down?"

"My friend Kurt is thinking about enlisting as well. Is there any possible way we could both end up going on the same day to basic training?"

"The Air Force has a buddy system. This system makes it possible to go to basic training together but it does not guarantee that you will both be stationed together. As always, the needs of the Air Force come first. Is Kurt someone special?"

"H-He isn't….I mean he is special….No – what I'm trying to say that we are just friends right now but he is special – but not that special – I will just shut up now," mumbled Blaine blushing profusely.

"That's ok Blaine, I think I understand."

"I can't really discuss Kurt's enlistment process with you but if both of you muster through your physicals and actually do enlist then I will make sure you go together. That's a promise. Now can I see the printout you were given at the MEPS station?"

Blaine hands over the printout and sits patiently while TSgt Chase looks at the results.

"Your scores show you have an aptitude for Administrative AFSC's."

"AFSC's?"

"Air Force Specialty Codes – AFSC for short. You will find that the military is a world of acronyms. AFSC is basically your job. It seems that while it is almost impossible to ace the ASVAB you pretty much scored in the top percentile in the Administrative fields. What were you going to study in college?"

"It has always been implied that I should become a lawyer or study for something in the business field so that I can work for my father's company."

"That doesn't sound like it is what you want though," replied the recruiter.

"I'm not really sure what I want to study. I really love music and performing but of course, according to my family those are really not career options. I was just going to go to school and do pre-law because that is what I've always been told was what I needed to do."

"Tell you what – here are a couple of brochures on the different AFSC's. Look through them and let me know what you decide. Let's see today is Monday – let me know what you decide as far as enlisting or not so that I can schedule you in for a physical. Are there any medical conditions that you are aware of?

"I suffered some burns to my torso and have had skin grafts. I've had broken bones but they have all healed. I was supposed to undergo one last surgery before school started but that one was mostly cosmetic. My mom seems to think that girls won't find my scars attractive. She doesn't want to understand that most boys don't mind them and that's what counts. I'm sure I want to enlist – go ahead and make that appointment for me. I do want to think about the job I might want a bit more though if that's ok."

"That's fine. I will schedule your appointment. Have you spoken to your parents about the possibility of enlisting in the military?"

"Not yet but I just turned 18 so I don't actually need their permission do I?"

"Technically no – you are legally an adult but it is nice if they understand what you are trying to do with your life."

"My parents love me but I'm not sure they will ever understand me. I will talk to them though. TSgt Chase, thank you for your help. Please call me with the information for the physical once you have made the appointment."

"It was nice to meet you Blaine. Good luck speaking with your parents," he said as he watched the young man leave his office. He quickly got on the phone and managed to schedule the boys' physicals on the same day a few minutes apart. He would call them later on to give them the time and date for their appointment.

Kurt had invited Blaine over for dinner on Tuesday. He had just gotten a call from his recruiter and he was scheduled for his physical on Thursday afternoon. His appointment was at the MEPS station in Columbus and he was planning on asking Blaine to drive down with him to keep him company.

"Blaine, are you doing anything on Thursday?" asked Kurt as he passed the potatoes to his dad silently warning him to take just a small helping.

"Umm yeah, I have an appointment Thursday afternoon," he replied. He hadn't told Kurt about his decision to enlist or the fact that is physical was on Thursday. "Why?"

"I have my physical set up for Thursday afternoon in Columbus and was wondering if you could keep me company but that's okay I'll see if Finn can go."

"Sorry Kurt but Rachel and I are going to go see some musical in Cincinnati. Her dads are taking us and we are planning on staying up there overnight," said Finn.

"I'll go with you Kurt," said Blaine knowing he would have to explain everything to Kurt.

"I don't want you to cancel your plans for the day just to tag along with me Blaine. I can go by myself."

"My appointment is in Columbus as well so we can both go together. I just need to be there before 2:30."

"Is your appointment for your surgery," asked Kurt instantly concerned. He had never seen the extent of Blaine's injuries. Their cuddling and kissing had never gotten to the point where they needed their shirts off although Kurt really hoped to get there soon. Kurt wasn't sure if Blaine was self-conscious about his scars. He never spoke about his burns and Kurt didn't want to push him.

"Can we talk about this after dinner?" asked Blaine not wanting to get the whole family involved in the discussion in case Kurt didn't react well to his announcement. He noticed Carole and Burt looking at him in puzzlement.

"Alright," said Kurt thinking Blaine didn't want to discuss his scars with the whole world. After helping Carole clean up the kitchen they both went to sit on the porch. It was a beautiful night and the worst of the heat was gone. There was a nice breeze as the boys sat next to each other.

Kurt held Blaine's hand and gently caressed it, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Blaine didn't know how to begin. "Remember when you were taking the ASVAB and I was just sitting there waiting for you?" he continued when he saw Kurt nod. "I started talking to the soldier there and I ended up taking the test as well. I started mulling over my options and on Monday I went in to the recruiting station and spoke to your recruiter. My appointment in Columbus is at the MEPS station for my physical," he said looking at Kurt.

"I'm confused Blaine. Are you telling me you are going to enlist in the Air Force?"

"I think I am Kurt."

"Why? Is it something you want to do or…," he didn't want to continue the question. He didn't want Blaine to think that he thought he would do something like join the military for _him_. He knew that would sound conceited and while Blaine had told him he liked him that did not mean he would do something this big for him. He wasn't sure what else to say.

Blaine grabbed Kurt's hands and held on to them as he spoke, "Kurt – I'm doing this for me. I'm doing this because I believe that I survived the attack to make a difference somehow – someway. I can't say I would have come to this realization if I hadn't seen you struggle with the same decision. I can't say that part of me hopes that we will somehow end up going through this together. I can say that I am doing this for me. I am also doing this because I have decided that I can't stand the thought of being apart from the person that I love."

Kurt froze. Had he heard correctly or did he want to hear those words so badly that he had dreamed it up all in his head.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"Kurt, I love you. I think I've loved you from the moment I spotted you in Coachella. I didn't want to say anything sooner because I knew we were both going to be leaving Ohio and I didn't want to burden you with my feelings. It's okay if you don't love me – well no that's not what I mean – ugh – I just don't know how to explain…."

"Blaine," Kurt interrupted. "I love you too!" They stared at each other in wonder and slowly leaned towards each other. Blaine kissed him gently and held on to him not wanting this moment to end.


	15. Chapter 15

Both boys were nervous about their physicals. Their bodies had taken quite a bit of abuse in the attack and they were afraid that they might not pass their physical exam. Kurt was called first and he squeezed Blaine's hand tightly before he got up to follow the nurse.

"Name?" asked the doctor.

"Kurt Hummel." The doctor had him take off his clothing except for his boxers and proceeded to poke and prod and ask questions about his injuries. They had an ophthalmologist come in and do some tests on his injured eye. Kurt had to give up quite a bit of blood for the numerous tests they required as well as a urine sample. He figured he was being tested for drugs as well as any diseases he might have.

He kept his fingers crossed hoping they didn't demand a stool sample as well! That would be really gross. After having his weight and fat content measured he was given a simple flexibility and balance test. They were really making sure that there was no damage to his joints after his injuries and that he had the proper ranges of motion he might need in order to survive a deadly situation. He handed over a copy of his medical records which by this point were in two thick volumes.

"Mr. Hummel, is seems that you are a very lucky man. From looking at these medical records I understand you were severely injured and yet here you stand. Your last physical therapy session for your hands and legs is next week. Once you get a signature from your doctor saying you have successfully completed your therapy you should be fully cleared to enlist in the Air Force," said the doctor.

Kurt released the breath he had been holding. He smiled and thanked the doctor. He had really been worried he might not make it through the physical.

"You may get dressed while I make a copy of these forms for your recruiter. Good luck to you and thank you for wanting to serve your country. You may pick up your file at the reception desk once you are done getting dressed," said the doctor as he shook his hand and left the exam room. Kurt quickly got dressed and hurried out to the reception desk hoping to see Blaine before his appointment. The nurse handed him his paperwork and he hurried out to the waiting room. Blaine was not there. Kurt took out his iPod and sat down to wait for Blaine to finish his physical.

xoxoxoxooxoxoxooxoxoxox

Blaine was reading an Airman Magazine when his name was finally called. He put down the magazine and followed the nurse to an exam room.

"Name?" asked the doctor.

"Blaine Anderson."

He was asked to disrobe until he was standing there in his boxers. He underwent the same exam as Kurt except for the ophthalmologist exam. The doctor did however do a complete exam of his torso.

"What caused these burns?"

"I was in Los Angeles on May 13th when he airport was bombed. I was thrown unconscious into a burning pile of debris. I don't remember being burned. I just remember the intense pain afterwards."

"Your medical records indicate you are scheduled for another surgery in a few weeks."

"Actually, my mother scheduled that for me but it isn't a necessary surgery. It is more cosmetic than anything. I'm not planning on any more surgeries. The scars are there and they are what they are."

"Since you will not be undergoing any other surgeries I can say that you are healthy and able-bodied. I will sign off on your physical. Congratulations Mr. Anderson – you passed your physical. Go ahead and get dressed and pick up your paperwork at the reception desk. Good luck and thank you for wanting to serve your country," he shook hands with Blaine and left the exam room.

Elated, Blaine rushed to put on his clothes and pick up his paperwork from the nurse. He spotted Kurt waiting for him and excitedly pulled him in for a hug.

"I passed Kurt – I passed! How did yours go?"

Kurt laughed at his silliness and said, "I have one more physical therapy session next week and once that is completed and the doctor clears me then I am good to go."

"Let's go celebrate!" Blaine led Kurt out to the car and they headed to the nearest Red Lobster.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxxox

Kurt's last physical therapy appointment was finally over. He was finally cleared by his doctor and he wasted no time in getting all his paperwork to Jim. Once he had made his decision he was ready to head out to basic training. After reviewing all the paperwork, Jim was able to have the enlistment papers ready for both boys by the end of the week. Burt and Carole were present when they signed their paperwork promising to defend the constitution of the United States.

Burt watched his son and tears started streaming down his face. He was so damn proud of the man his son was becoming. He was scared that something might happen to him but he realized that life happened wherever and whenever it happened. No one was ever completely safe and a person would go crazy thinking about the ugliness out in the world walking around alongside the innocents.

Their reporting date was set for September 3rd. Kurt and Blaine were to report to the MEPS station in Columbus. They would be processed through and then taken to the airport to catch a flight to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. They would be going there for their 8 week basic training. They had been jogging every morning and working out trying to get ready for basic. They figured they were as ready as they would ever be.

September 3rd arrived all too soon. Kurt was ready and packed. There wasn't much to take just a few changes of clothing. Burt noticed the one backpack he had and asked, "Where are the other bags?"

"That's all I'm taking. I won't need anything else. As soon as we get there we are issued uniforms."

"What about the bag for your face stuff?"

"All I use is a cleaner and moisturizer, dad," he was starting to get annoyed.

"Ok, don't get huffy. I just figured you would take a bunch of stuff with you like you normally do."

"Life's different now," whispered Kurt as his dad gave him a long hug.

"I know son – I know," sighed Burt trying to keep the tears at bay as he let him go so that Carole could say goodbye.

"Call us as soon as you can to let us know you got there ok," she said as he hugged him tight. "Take care of yourself."

"I will. Please take care of dad," he asked her making sure Burt didn't hear him. "Make sure he doesn't eat all that junk he is always trying to sneak into the house."

She nodded because she knew she couldn't speak without crying.

"Dude, I'm going to miss you," Finn said as he hugged Kurt. Finn was attending Ohio State and had driven down last night for their last family dinner before Kurt left for basic training. He had to head back since he had classes starting at noon but he had wanted to be there to say goodbye. "Call me whenever you get a chance. Sorry I can't stick around to see Blaine but I have to head out. Tell him I said goodbye."

"I will – be careful driving back to school." He watched as Finn ran out to his truck to head back to school. He was such a big lunk! Watching him was like watching a big German shepherd puppy that hadn't quite grown out of its awkward stage.

Blaine pulled up a few minutes later and after getting hugs from Burt and Carole the boys were headed to Columbus. They stopped for coffee on their way out and listened to music and talked about nothing in particular. Both boys were nervous but trying to put the other at ease.

Once they arrived at the MEPS station they didn't have time to be nervous. They were ushered through different offices making sure their paperwork was in order. They ended up in a room with about 30 other recruits and then it was time to be sworn in.

As each boy repeated the following oath they added their name:

I, (_NAME_), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

Kurt had to swallow down tears. I made it – he thought. As he repeated the words he pictured his mother and Mr. Schue looking down at him. He knew he was doing this for them as well as for himself.

Standing next to Kurt, Blaine recited his oath thinking about how his life had changed. His parents were a bit disappointed in his decision to forego college but were being supportive. They were afraid that the only reason he had enlisted was to be with Kurt and they hoped he would finish his enlistment in four years and go back to school. He knew they loved him and only wanted the best for him even if their best was not exactly what he wanted. He wanted to make them proud.

After the swearing in they were sent to the dining hall for dinner and then given their assigned rooms. Blaine and Kurt were glad to see they would be sharing a room. They were flying to San Antonio the next day and they were told to be in the dining hall by 7:00am. Neither one felt like talking. They were both immersed in their own thoughts as they got ready for bed. Somehow without even thinking about it they ended up curled around each other in the same bed as they drifted off to sleep.

After breakfast they were taken by bus to the airport. They were handed a packet that contained their orders and instructions on what to do once they got to San Antonio. Once they landed at San Antonio they grabbed their bag and headed to the Air Force Receiving Center. They reported to the Training Instructor (T.I.) who took their orders and had them sit and wait for the shuttle to Lackland AFB. The boys take a seat and before too long they are talking with the other recruits sitting and waiting. The time passed pleasantly and Kurt started relaxing.

"Hopefully we will all end up in the same group," he said.

Blaine and some of the other boys nodded as well.

"I wish they had coed groups," said one of the girls plainly giving Blaine the eye.

Kurt just raised one eyebrow while Blaine just ignored the comment.  
>"Trainees grab your stuff and get in formation," said a T.I as he signaled the group to get up.<p>

"Time to go," whispered Kurt as he grabbed his bag and started moving.

**a/n: Thanks for reading! I started another story "You Stole My Breath Away." Check it out and let me know what you think.**


	16. Chapter 16

An hour later they were shuttled from the bus to the Welcome Center. They turned in their records and some of the initial processing was started. The trainees were sorted into squadrons and flights. Blaine jokingly asked the T.I. if this was the Sorting Ceremony and quickly ended up swallowing his laughter at the glare from the T.I. Noticing the stink eye, Kurt moved over just a tad not wanting to be associated with the Harry Potter loving Blaine.

They didn't have to wait too long before they were taken to their dormitory. Kurt knew that in his grandfather's day they were called "barracks" but now they were "dormitories." Maybe the military thought the word dormitory was more welcoming than barracks. Either way, everyone was a bit nervous.

His grandfather had explained how basic training had changed after 9/11. The need for change was due to the new style of warfare. There was more emphasis on weapons, chemical/biological, and combat skills training. He remembered laughing with his grandfather when he recounted how their undershirts and boxers had to be folded into 6 inch squares. Now he had to learn what weapon was more effective in killing the enemy.

The dormitories were large open rooms with rows of bunk beds and lockers. Everyone quickly claimed their bunk. Kurt and Blaine decided to grab the bottom bunks of adjoining beds. Blaine figured it would be easier for them to talk if they were next to each other instead of on "top of each other." Kurt burst out laughing when Blaine finished that thought which made the boy blush a deep red. They were told to keep a few civilian outfits and their personal hygiene items in their lockers. They were to leave everything else in their bags as they would not need any of it for the duration of basic.

Kurt sadly packed away his iPod. Music was something that soothed him and he figured he would need some serious soothing in the next 8 weeks. He also packed away his contact lenses since those were not allowed. Everyone that needed corrective glasses had been handed their military issued lenses at the Welcome Center. They were the ugliest glasses Kurt had ever seen – no wonder they were called "BC" or rather "birth control" glasses. No one wearing those would ever get laid – they were so ugly.

Before long it was time for bed. Lights out was at 9:00pm. "Taps" was played on the intercom as the lights were turned off. Kurt was a night owl and couldn't seem to adjust to sleeping so early so he just relaxed on his bunk thinking about his experiences so far. Blaine, on the other hand, was out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Kurt decided basic didn't seem too bad. He had heard so many horror stories from his grandfather and his uncle about basic training but things must have really changed since they had gone through basic. Everyone seemed so nice. Sure, there was that one Training Instructor that gave Blaine the stink eye but so far no one was screaming, yelling, insulting or making them run for miles for no reason except to see how long it took before they were too exhausted to keep on going.

"I can survive these 8 ½ weeks, easy," he whispered to himself before he drifted off to sleep a few hours later with a smile lingering on his face.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"GET UP…WAKE UP…WHY THE HELL ARE YOU STILL IN BED, TRAINEES!" Kurt almost fell off his bunk when he heard the yelling and the sound of trash cans being thrown down the aisle of the dormitory. The lights were turned on without warning and he blinked. He wasn't sure what was happening and his brain couldn't seem to process anything at the moment. He looked over at Blaine and noticed that he was still sleeping peacefully. Did he not hear the yelling?

Kurt noticed there were two T.I's walking up and down the aisle yelling and screaming for everyone to get up. Kurt nudged Blaine and finally had to resort to punching his arm to get him to stir.

"Five minutes mom…I promise…" mumbled Blaine as he rolled over and tried to go back to sleep before he was startled awake by a T.I. yelling, "I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER TRAINEE – GET YOUR ASS UP!" Unlike Kurt, Blaine actually did fall off his bunk. He managed to get on his feet really quick though but Kurt could tell he was disoriented.

Everyone was told to stand at the foot of their bunk. All the trainees were staring around wide-eyed and confused. What had caused this scene? Kurt sneaked a look at his watch and couldn't believe it was only 3:00am. What the hell? 3:00am? He watched as the T.I.'s continued trashing the dorm throwing blankets and pillows around as they yelled at the unsuspecting trainees.

"YOU HAVE EXACTLY 15 MINUTES TO GET THIS DORM IN TIP TOP ORDER, GET DRESSED FOR PT AND BE DOWNSTAIRS IN FORMATION!" yelled the T.I. as he whirled around and left the dorm. The second T.I. gave them a glare as he followed his colleague out the door.

Everyone stood in shock for a few minutes until BAM – they heard a door slam shut and the sound jump-started everyone. In a blur of bodies and groans they all grabbed pillows, blankets, trash and whatever was around them in their rush to restore their dormitory to some semblance of order. Most of the boys were running around in their boxers trying to find clothing. Kurt's grandfather had told Kurt to always sleep dressed for PT.

"PT gramps?" he asked.

"Physical training – trust me Kurt. You make sure you go to bed dressed in your t-shirt, running shorts or sweats - whatever the designated outfit for the day is and your socks on – every night. You will thank me."

Kurt had made sure he shared this tidbit with Blaine so both boys were ready and even had time to brush their teeth before they ran down the stairs to line up in formation. Their dorm was on the second floor and the ground floor was an open area where the trainees would form every morning. The whole flight had been instructed how to line up properly before being dismissed the day before so they hustled to take their positions and to wait for everyone to line up.

And so the day began. They walked – marched – walked – everywhere! The first place they went to was to get their hair cut. Kurt was kind of dreading this part – for two reasons – he didn't think he could really rock the bald look and because he hated the thought of Blaine losing his gorgeous curls. As he checked himself out in the mirror he knew for a fact that he could NOT rock the bald look. He almost cried when he saw Blaine nervously run his hand over his shaved skull.

"H-how do I look?" he asked Kurt.

"Different," said Kurt as he gestured at his head. "I'm sure I look pathetic."

"The best part is that our hair will eventually grow back," smiled Blaine.

"True – but that doesn't change the fact that for now we are bald and have to wear BC glasses," sighed Kurt.

"At least we are together," whispered Blaine as he bumped Kurt's shoulder while they waited for everyone to finish.

Their next stop was to get their uniform. They were handed a duffel bag and were ushered into a warehouse. They went down the line collecting everything from underwear, t-shirts, camouflage uniforms, PT clothing, socks, boots, and hats. Their duffel bag kept getting heavier and heavier until they eventually had to carry it on their backs. By the time they got back to the dorms they were exhausted but alas, the day was not yet over. They had a chance to put their clothing away and then were back in formation ready for lunch.

After lunch they were marched over to the infirmary to get inoculated. They became part of an assembly line. They moved from one nurse to another getting shots for what seemed like every disease known to mankind.

"Am I ever going to be around smallpox?" wondered Blaine as he rubbed his arm softly.

"Well if you do at least you know you won't die….ouch!" squeaked Kurt as he felt the needle jam into his arm.

They learned so many things that week but the most important thing to remember seemed that life would always be 'hurry up and wait" in the military. They were rushed everywhere just to sit and wait. It seemed that the military made "waiting" and art form and the whole flight of trainees quickly learned to be patient and not grumble. Rumor had it that a trainee had once grumbled and had never been seen alive again. Nobody wanted to verify this particular rumor. Hence, no one grumbled or complained.

The days and weeks sped by and the trainees were slowly broken down so that the military could start building them back up from scratch into a lethal fighting force. They learned to think as a unit and to think about the whole rather than their own individual status. There were a few that couldn't take the constant physical and mental demands and they were sent home. Kurt realized that the constant jeering, insults and physical abuse from all the jocks at McKinley had actually helped him deal with the T.I's constant yelling and screaming. He knew how to deflect rather than internalize their abuse. He had learned something in high school after all he thought with a smile.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxo

Before Kurt knew it the anniversary of his mother's death arrived. For the first time since her death he was not able to lay flowers on her grave and he felt terrible. Blaine assured him that she understood why he could not visit her and they agreed that as soon as they were able to get back to Lima they would go visit her grave. Thinking about his mother gave him that extra bit of strength he knew he would need to survive the coming weeks.

They learned to shoot, clean and properly handle M-16's as well as other specialized weapons. Of course, boys loved toys and Kurt was still sporting a black eye from not ducking soon enough when one of the trainees swung his M-16 around pretending to be Rambo. Blaine was livid and about to punch someone before the T.I.'s stepped in. The boy apologized profusely – he really was sorry. Kurt forgave him after all it was an accident even though it hurt like hell. The whole flight had to run 5 miles as punishment carrying their duffel bag full of equipment. Kurt was sent to the infirmary and did not have to run. He was just glad it wasn't his left eye that took the direct hit – he didn't know if it would have caused permanent damage. His eye was swollen shut for a few days and he had a blinding headache but he refused to remain in the infirmary. He wanted nothing to jeopardize his standing in basic training.

Week 5 and 6 pushed the whole flight past their physical limits. The obstacle course was demanding but nothing compared to the 96-hour exercise affectionately called the BEAST - short for Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training. This was a test that measured their combat readiness. The trainees were tested in a realistic setting complete with combat scenarios. The BEAST took them to their breaking point but they knew that if they survived this their training would be almost complete.

The battered, bruised, and exhausted flight made their way up the stairs to their dorm after completing BEAST and without even taking time to shower they collapsed on their bunks. The next morning they were ready to tackle another day even though they were all sore and bruised. The knowledge that they had survived the BEAST made it easier for them to survive the last few weeks of basic.

Before they knew it - it was finally the last week of basic training and there was one last final test to complete. Each trainee was to be tested on everything they had learned in the past 8 weeks. They needed a 70 percent to pass and a 90 to finish basic as an honor graduate. Blaine and Kurt both qualified to graduate as honor graduates.

At the beginning of basic each trainee met with a counselor before being assigned their AFSC. Kurt had thought about what job he might want and since he scored high in the mechanical aspect of the ASVAB he figured he would take a job in that field. He enjoyed working at the shop with his dad and this was one way to honor his father. Blaine knew he didn't have the necessary skills to try for a mechanical position so he asked for a job in Personnel. After passing their final test, they received their orders. The orders listed their AFSC and their next duty station.

"What did you get?" asked Blaine anxiously.

"Tactical Aircraft Maintenance - I guess I am going to be working on fighter jets," answered Kurt. "Technical school is located at Sheppard AFB, in Texas. I won't get my final orders until the last weeks of school. I think I'll be there for about 6 months." He had assumed he would be working on cars but he was excited about his assignment.

"How about you?"

"Personnel Specialist and I'm headed to Keesler AFB, in Mississippi. Tech school is only 1 month long so I will be headed to my next assignment before you are even out of school," said Blaine.

Their excitement was tempered by the fact that they would be separated from each other once they left basic. They had been too busy surviving basic training to really focus on a relationship but just the fact that they were together created a bond that neither one was ready to sever.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

It was almost Graduation Day! Kurt's entire family, including his grandparents and Uncle George's family, descended on Lackland AFB on Wednesday night. Blaine's parents and his brother Cooper made the trip as well. The boys were participating in the "Airman's Run" on Thursday morning and everyone was excited to finally get a chance to see them. The 2.5 mile run was a celebration of all the challenges the boys had successfully completed as well as the esprit de corps they had gained during basic training.

"Do you see them Carole?" asked Burt trying to figure out which boy running around the field was his son.

"All I see are a bunch of boys wearing the same thing," said Carole anxiously trying to spot Kurt or Blaine. Even though Kurt's grandfather had scored them seats in front it was still hard to really tell who was who in the sea of trainees.

"After the Coin and Retreat Ceremony we will be able to spend time with the boys," said Jonathan.

Burt looked as his father-in-law with a blank look, "What is that?"

"Each trainee will be presented with the Airman's Coin. This coin means they have earned the right to be addressed as an "Airman," replied Jonathan. "After the ceremony they are dismissed and get to spend the day with family and friends."

After the run the boys went to dinner with the families, but had to still report to their dorm before 9:00pm. Graduation Day was the following day and they needed to make sure they didn't get into trouble on their last day by missing their curfew.

Friday morning was a hectic day. Burt looked on proudly as Kurt and Blaine took their final oath and were dismissed from Basic Training. They were now part of an elite group of young men and women ready to sacrifice their lives for their country.

He hugged his son as the tears silently fell as he whispered, "Your mom would have been so proud of you son."

**a/n: This chapter was difficult for me to write. It has been years since I went thru basic training and I know that it is TOTALLY different now and I did take a few liberties so that my story would flow a bit better. Any mistakes are mine :)**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Kurt headed to Sheppard AFB for his training. The days were long and tiring and he quickly got used to being around grease, tools and engines. These were a bit bigger and harder to maneuver than the ones he was used to but he quickly figured out the basics and managed to pass all of his exams without really stressing over them. He loved the smell of oil and grease and the memories it evoked of his childhood spent at his father's side. It made the separation easier but he tried to call his dad every couple of days to touch base.

He couldn't get over missing Blaine. After being together 24/7 during basic training it felt like there was a piece of his life missing. He had grown used to seeing Blaine's face first thing in the morning and falling asleep to the sound of Blaine's voice at night. They spoke every night but it just wasn't the same. Blaine was almost done with his technical school. He had just received his orders. He was to report to his new assignment by the end of December. He had broken the news of his new assignment to Kurt on the phone.

"Guess where I am headed to?"

"Hello to you too Blaine. I am fine, thank you for asking."

"Hi, how are you? You will never guess where I am being assigned."

"You don't sound that excited so I am really hoping it isn't the Midwest. Wouldn't it just suck to kick our way out of there and then end up right back in the middle of Ohio," said Kurt starting to worry that Blaine had ended back in Ohio.

"I am headed to Frances E. Warren AFB in Wyoming."

"Wyoming?"

"Yes, in freezing cold Wyoming. You know I hate cold weather. Was it too much to ask for a warm weather assignment?" grumbled Blaine.

"Aren't you in Personnel? Can't you find someone to swap assignments with you?"

"I'm not _in_ Personnel yet - Kurt – I've barely finished learning about all that the job entails and then they tell me to forget everything I learned in school because "real world" is totally different. I tried to get someone to swap with me but no one wanted to go to Wyoming. Not even the guy headed to Korea for a remote assignment wanted to swap."

"That is bad," laughed Kurt. A remote was a yearlong assignment where you weren't allowed to take dependents due to the hardships in the area.

"You know it's bad when you would rather be in Korea without your wife and kids than live in Wyoming!" exclaimed Blaine. He really did hate cold weather. Kurt was the one that always loved dressing in layers and scarves. Blaine loved the sun. He grew up having to deal with cold, harsh Ohio winters and had really been enjoying the warmth of Texas and Mississippi.

"At least you know where you are going to…I won't know until at least 4 more months. I am really hoping to go overseas or at least some place where it isn't hot, humid and yucky. Are you going home to visit your family before heading to Wyoming?"

"I decided to wait until you got done with school so that we could both be in Ohio at the same time. I really miss you."

"I miss you too. I get a few days off during the holidays. I can't actually go on leave since we are still in school but I will be able to just hang around the dorms."

"I'm not sure what my schedule will be. I need to report by the end of December but I know most units manage to give people a few days off during the holiday season. Let's see what happens in a few weeks. Let me know exactly what days you will be off and maybe I can fly down there for a few days. It would only be for a few days but a few days with you is just what I need," he sighed. He really did miss Kurt and he was willing to tap into his trust fund to buy a ticket to Texas even if it was only for 2 days.

"I'll let you know as soon as I find out anything concrete." After speaking for a few more minutes they said their goodbyes. Both had busy lives at the moment but they made sure to call each other at least once a day.

xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxox

Blaine reported to FE Warren AFB in the middle of a blizzard. He had flown into Denver and caught a puddle jumper to Cheyenne, Wyoming. The plane was so tiny and the turbulence was rough. Blaine thought it was a shame to die so young and wondered why he hadn't told Kurt that he wanted to marry him, have children with him and to spend his life with him forever. Sigh – he really hated cold weather!

The plane finally touched down in Cheyenne and Blaine made his way into the tiny airport. He grabbed his bag and looked around until he spotted his sponsor holding up a sign with his name on it and he walked towards the airman.

"Airman Anderson? Hi, I'm Airman First Class (A1C) Smith. I'm your sponsor. I'm glad to see you made it okay. I was getting worried you might be delayed with all the snow. It's starting to come down pretty hard and they've closed down quite a few roads. I think we have enough time to make it back to the base before all hell breaks loose though it's supposed to be a big one," he said referring to the storm as he headed towards the parking lot.

"Thanks for all the information you sent about the base and what I need to do to get here in one piece. I really appreciate all your help."

"That's why you get a sponsor. It's our job to make sure we make the transition to a new assignment as smoothly as possible for everyone involved."

"You've been assigned to work with me until you learn the ropes. Our first stop is Billeting where you will check in to the base and get your dorm room assignment. You don't actually report to Personnel until tomorrow."

"Do you know who my roommate is?" he was used to having roommates and since this was his permanent duty station this roommate would probably be around for a while – unlike the ones he had in basic and in tech school. He hoped it was someone he could get along with.

"All unmarried personnel are assigned to dorms. The dorms are assigned by unit so you will probably be assigned to the same dorms where I live and those are single occupancy. We'll find out once we get you to Billeting." The drive to the base was slow and treacherous. Visibility was limited and A1C Smith was busy trying to concentrate on the road so conversation was curtailed until they pulled up to a stop in front of the Billeting Office.

Blaine signed in to the base and was given his dorm assignment. A1C Smith drove him to his dorm and helped him carry his bag up the stairs. The red brick building had white pillars and was rather imposing. It reminded Blaine of the civil war building you see in the south. His room was on the second floor. It was small but he had no roommate which made up for the size. His sponsor pointed out the community restrooms down the hall.

"I live on the first floor in Room 12. The chow hall is right across the street so at least we don't have to go too far in the snow to get some food. I'm headed out there in about 30 minutes. I'll swing by to pick you up so I can show you where it's located."

"Thanks. I really appreciate your help and I will be ready to go in half an hour." Blaine closed the door and quickly put his gear away in the closets. The bed was made up with military issued sheets which would work until Blaine could figure out transportation and get to a store to purchase his own bedding. He didn't like wool blankets but they would keep him warm until he got settled into his new home. He picked up his phone to call Kurt.

"Hey you," he said as soon as Kurt answered.

"Everything okay?" asked Kurt. He had been watching the news and had noticed that the weather in Wyoming was not exactly welcoming.

"You know how cold it gets in Lima, right?" asked Blaine.

"Yeah."

"Well imagine it is ten times colder than that and you can imagine how cold it is here in Wyoming. We could barely see 5 feet in front of us as we were driving in from the airport. All I can remember seeing is snow, snow and more snow." Kurt could hear the exasperation in Blaine's voice.

"I'm sure it will get better once the snow stops. Have you met anyone besides your sponsor?"

"Not yet. It took forever to get to the base and I just got to my dorm room. He is supposed to stop by in a few minutes to show me where the chow hall is. I'm glad he is because I can imagine getting turned around in the snow and losing my way. My frozen body would be found in the Spring about 20 feet from the front door of the dorms."

"I never knew you were a drama queen, Blaine," laughed Kurt.

"I'm serious Kurt! It is freakin' cold and depressing as hell here. I would kill to go to Florida or California where the sun actually shines."

"When do you have to report to work?"

"I have to be at the Processing Center at 0800 tomorrow morning and start my in-processing. I will probably have to report to my unit sometime in the afternoon. My sponsor will probably know what else I'm supposed to do. I'm really glad the Air Force sets up incoming personnel with a sponsor. I'd be lost without him."

"Mmmm – is he cute?" asked Kurt suspiciously.

"I couldn't really tell. He was wearing a parka with the hood up and all I could see was an Eskimo looking person – besides my heart is spoken for so even if he was the most gorgeous piece of meat in the universe I would be immune. You do know that I love you, right?" asked Blaine

"I love you to. I just hate being apart but we knew this would probably happen. Eventually, we can try to get stationed together. Who knows I might end up at FE Warren."

"There are no fighter jets assigned to FE Warren," said Blaine.

"Oh – well then I guess I won't be coming to Wyoming any time soon."

"Don't remind me that will only depress me more than I already am." Blaine was interrupted by a knocking at the door. "Someone is knocking at the door so I will call you later on before bed. Love you," he hung up with Kurt's assurances that life will look better in the morning. He highly doubted that – he was pretty sure it would still look grey and depressing in the light of day.

He opened up his door to see his sponsor standing there holding his parka in his arms. "Ready?"

"Yeah, let me just grab my jacket." They trudged through the snow and made their way to the chow hall. The food was surprisingly good and Steve, his sponsor finally had Blaine call him by his first name, introduced him to some of the guys he would be working with. He introduced himself and insisted they call him Blaine instead of Airman Anderson. They all seemed like a tight knit group and Blaine fit right in. One of the guys had a car and offered to drive Blaine to the mall on the weekend to pick up any stuff he might need. Mario, Chuck, Aaron, Adam, & Tim – Blaine tried to remember their names.

"Not too many of us have a car. There is a shuttle bus that goes around the base so we don't necessarily need transportation. The Personnel building is about a block away from the dorms so we can walk to work. You can always catch a ride with someone on the weekends if you need to go to the mall. Most guys are happy to do it in exchange for gas money," explained Steve.

"What do you like to do for fun Blaine?" asked one of the Airmen. Blaine wasn't sure what his name was but he hoped he would soon learn everyone's name.

"I like music and singing. I sang in our school's show choir and I really enjoyed it but since enlisting I haven't had a chance to do any of that stuff. My parents are shipping my guitar and my keyboard and some of my other belongings so I hope to continue that as soon as my stuff gets here. What is there to do around here?"

"Wyoming is God's country. If you like camping, hiking, country music, skiing and the great outdoors you will be happier than a pig in shit around here," everyone laughed as Steve finished speaking.

"Wow, I think you just mentioned everything I am not particularly fond of," sighed Blaine. "Isn't Cheyenne the capitol of Wyoming? I imagined it would be a big city full of clubs and music and stuff to do…."

"Nope," the group of young men answered in unison.

"You just described Denver," someone yelled - Blaine thought it was Adam.

"How far is Denver?" asked Blaine.

"Denver is about 100 miles away from here. It is the party place. Of course there is also Greeley and Fort Collins down the road. Both are college towns so there is a ton of things to do and by things I mean music, dancing, drinking, partying and girls," answered Tim.

"I'm up for the music and dancing but I'm not 21 yet so there goes the drinking and I have a boyfriend so there goes the girls and partying," said Blaine hoping he was doing the right thing by letting everyone know he was gay. He didn't want any misunderstandings and he figured the sooner everyone knew the better. If any of them had a problem it was better do deal with it now rather than let it fester and become an issue later.

"I have no problem with your sexuality. You will find that there are quite a few openly gay airman on base as well as some that still can't seem to believe that the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy has been repealed," said Steve. Most of the guys nodded and they really seemed to accept him. Blaine felt some of the tension ease. He thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad here. If only Kurt were with him then life would be perfect.

"So – where is your boyfriend?" someone asked.

"He is at tech school in Texas. He is in Aircraft Maintenance."

"Ouch, there are no planes here," said Steve.

"I know," said Blaine.

"How long have you been together?"

"I met him at a National's competition in Los Angeles in May. His school won first place and we came in second."

"Los Angeles in May was not the best place to be Blaine. Isn't that when LAX was bombed?" asked Aaron quietly.

"Yeah, we were both there that day." No one spoke for a few minutes. Each one reliving the scenes they had seen on television. "It was bad. I had just met Kurt, my boyfriend, but we were both injured in the bombing so we didn't connect until July."

"You both decided to enlist?" asked Tim.

"Yeah," Blaine didn't want to really go into the whole story so he just answered simply and then asked Steve where the Processing Center was located. He needed to make sure he got there on time in the morning.

The boys respected the fact that he was trying to change the subject and Steve reassured him that he would stop by to pick him up and take him to his in-processing in the morning. They all left the chow hall together and made their way back to the dorms. All of them lived in the same building since they were all assigned to the same unit. Blaine was glad he had met some of the people he would be working with and hoped they would all become friends.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxo

"Guess where I'm going?"

"Well hello to you too, Kurt. I am fine, just still freezing my ass off in God's country, thanks for asking."

"Eglin AFB, Florida."

"Are you freakin' kidding me?"

"Nope. I just found out this morning."

"That is so not fair. I get frostbite and you get to hang out on the beach."

"Hello, do you not know me? I am pale, Blaine, pale. My skin does not do well in the sun. I shrivel and die a little bit inside if I am forced to be in the sun too long. Do you remember that I work on planes? Those are normally outside!" Kurt was not happy. He had been hoping for cool weather. He was sick and tired of Texas weather and now he would have to deal with Florida weather. Humidity, hurricanes, mosquitoes and sand – these were on the top ten list of things he did not like.

"My frostbitten toes hate you at the moment. My heart misses and loves you but my extremities hate you."

"I am taking leave the first 2 weeks in May and headed to Lima. Do you think you can take leave at that time?"

"I'll put in for leave tomorrow morning as soon as I get in to work tomorrow. It should be no problem. I didn't take leave after tech school and since your whole unit got put on restriction for the duration of your school I didn't get to take time off during the holidays."

Blaine had been planning on visiting Kurt during Christmas but some of the airman in Kurt's unit had somehow managed to sneak off base and headed into town. They had gone drinking in a bar and gotten into a fight with some of the locals. The police had been called and Kurt's whole unit had lost weekend privileges for the duration of their schooling. Kurt had been really upset when he had called Blaine to break the news to him. They had both been looking forward to spending some time together.

Blaine's leave request was approved and the boys decided to coordinate their plans so that they would both fly into Atlanta and then catch a connecting flight into Lima. Kurt was the first one to arrive in Atlanta and he had a 2 hour wait until Blaine's plane landed. He was waiting at the gate when he saw Blaine step through the door. Both were wearing their blues and Kurt's heart skipped a beat at how handsome Blaine looked in his uniform. He sat back and waited until Blaine scanned the area looking for Kurt. His eyes zeroed in on Kurt and he rushed over to hug him tight.

Kurt sighed as he nuzzled into Blaine's neck and smelled the familiar scent he had dreamed about for months. They had a few minutes before they had to rush to make their connecting flight and before they knew it they were landing in Lima.

Burt and the Andersons had gotten together to plan a surprise welcome home party. They had invited everyone. Kurt's grandparents, uncle and his family had arrived yesterday. Most of the New Directions were able to make it except Rachel. She was unable to make it due to finals week at NYADA. Burt was waiting at Baggage Claim when he noticed two young men in uniform walking towards him. It took him a minute to recognize Kurt and Blaine. They were no longer boys. They had grown into young men. They walked with a confidence that had not been there before and they wore the uniform with pride. Burt had to swallow back his tears when his son threw himself into his arms. He managed to grab Blaine and pulled him into the hug as well.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

The party lasted until almost 2:00am. Everyone was happy to see the two boys. Neither boy wanted to make too many plans without consulting the other. They wanted to spend as much time together just the two of them in the short time they had in Lima. Everyone ended up crashing at the Hummel home - no one wanted the party to end.

Bodies were everywhere as Kurt dragged Blaine up to his room. They started out kissing each other softly until their hormones got the best of them. They couldn't control their hands and before too long Blaine had Kurt in his mouth. Kurt was so far gone that as soon as Blaine's warm mouth touched him he fell over the edge. He watched Blaine swallow every last drop before grabbing a hold of his chin and forcing him up for a hard kiss. Tasting himself on Blaine's lips always managed to drive him crazy. He flipped Blaine over so that he could reciprocate the favor. Kurt had dreamed of this moment since they had gotten home from the airport. Afterwards they held each other as they fell asleep sated and happy.

Kurt woke up the next morning feeling the warm weight of Blaine cuddled up next to him. Blaine was a cuddle fiend and Kurt didn't want to leave the bed but his bladder was not cooperating. He knew Blaine would never wake up so he just turned him over and got out of bed. He rushed to the restroom and hurried back to bed. He couldn't go back to sleep so he just cuddled up to Blaine and watched him sleep. He gently ran his fingers all over Blaine and noticed that Blaine's body unconsciously leaned into his hand.

Kurt really wanted this time he had with Blaine to be special. They had talked about taking their relationship to the next level but being apart had really put a damper on actually taking it to the next level. Kurt was more than ready to lose his virginity to Blaine. He had decided that he would be taking care of that little problem while they were here in Lima. He had of course not informed Blaine of his decision but he was about to remedy that little oversight.

Blaine chose that exact moment to open his eyes and focus on the fact that he was cuddled up against Kurt.

"I want to make love to you," blurted out Kurt before his filter could kick in. He saw Blaine's eyes widen and for a moment Kurt thought Blaine was going to run out of the room screaming before he said, "I would love that."

They started giggling and before long they were laughing so hard tears were rolling down their faces. Finn happened to walk in without knocking and said, "Hey! What's so funny?" They stopped laughing as they stared at Finn for a minute and then proceeded to laugh even harder. Finn shook his head in disgust and walked out.

After a while they laughter subsided and they just held each other. Neither one wanted to ruin the moment. "I think we should get up and get ready for breakfast before everyone starts coming up to check on us." Kurt just nodded and got ready to jump in the shower. "I'll shower first," he said as he walked into the bathroom. Blaine laid there and couldn't stop thinking about how he was going to make their first time perfect. He was nervous but determined to make it a memorable night for Kurt.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"I can't believe it's been a year," said Kurt as he placed the flowers on Mr. Schue's grave. Blaine had decided to take Kurt to visit his mom and introduce himself. He knew how hard it had been for Kurt to not visit her whenever he needed to talk to her. After visiting her grave had stopped by to see Mr. Schue.

"So much has changed in our lives. We are no longer the same people we were last May," he continued holding on to Blaine's hand. Kurt thought back to everything that had happened since that fateful day and he refused to let the darkness overshadow his happiness. "Thank you for my life – I hope you can see that I am trying my best to make it count for the both of us," he whispered into the air hoping Mr. Schue was able to hear him as they walked back to his car.

"Where are we headed?" he asked Blaine as they pulled out of the cemetery.

"It's a surprise," said Blaine hoping he was doing the right thing by not giving him any advance notice of his plans. He had booked a hotel room for them for the weekend in Columbus. He had made reservations at a fancy French restaurant and had bought tickets to a show. It wasn't Wicked or any of Kurt's favorites but he knew they would both enjoy just getting out and having a good time together. They had been kept busy with family and friends and while they had discussed taking their relationship further they had not been able to "do" anything about it with so many people demanding a piece of their time.

He had spoken to Burt about wanting to surprise Kurt with dinner and the show and while he was pretty sure Burt had his suspicions about why Blaine was stealing his son he didn't make it awkward for Blaine. "You like my son don't you?" he asked Blaine.

"I love your son," answered Blaine without hesitation. "I would never do anything to hurt him or pressure him into anything he wasn't ready for."

"Kurt is his own man. He doesn't need my permission to go anywhere," he stated liking the fact that he had Blaine squirming like a worm on a hook.

"I'm not asking for permission –actually - I'm not sure what I'm asking for but I just want you to know that I love your son and only want to make him happy."

"You have my approval Blaine – don't ever doubt that for a minute. I can see that you make my son happy and I know that you are responsible for that smile on his face every day. I know you treat him with respect and that is enough to earn my respect and no matter what happens between you and Kurt you will always be a part of this family. Now go pack a bag for him while I keep him occupied in the kitchen."

"Thanks – we will be back home Sunday night."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxox

"Blaine?"

"Yes."

"Why are we on the interstate headed towards Columbus?"

"I have reservations for dinner for two at Chez Louis for dinner this evening."

"Chez Louis – the Chez Louis, where the salads start at $20?

"Ummm – not sure what their prices look like but if that is the fancy French restaurant downtown then yes that is the one."

"When did you make these reservations?" asked Kurt.

"The same day I bought tickets to a show and made reservations at the Hilton for the weekend." Blaine glanced at Kurt wanting to see his reaction.

"Oh…."

"Are you okay? Is this okay?" asked Blaine suddenly worried that he had gone too far by assuming Kurt would be okay not having any say in the matter.

"Define 'this'" said Kurt. He had an idea but did not want to assume anything.

"I know we've talked about taking our relationship to the next level and I wanted to have you to myself for a few days. I spoke to your dad so don't worry about that part…"

"You asked my dad for permission to have sex with me?" he asked incredulously.

"God no – Kurt! I didn't say – Hey Burt, is it okay if I take your baby boy out and fuck his brains out mercilessly until he screams my name over and over or until he passes out from having me pound him into the headboard one too many times!"

Kurt looked at Blaine wide-eyed and suddenly started laughing! Blaine was mortified. He couldn't believe he had spoken so crudely but before too long he was laughing as hard as Kurt was. He finally had to pull over at the next exit just to make sure he didn't kill them both. He couldn't seem to stop laughing.

"Oh my God Blaine! You should have seen your face when you realized what you had just said."

Blaine just put his head on the steering wheel and moaned, "I'm sorry Kurt. I don't know what got into me. I just wanted to surprise you and so I told your dad we were going to Columbus for the weekend. I'm pretty sure he knows we will be sharing a bed but he was okay with us being together. I didn't want him to worry."

Kurt leaned over the console and gently clasped Blaine's face as he drew him nearer, "I love you and I can't wait to finally be yours." He kissed him gently and before too long they were breathing roughly. Just the thought of what Blaine had planned seemed to drive Kurt crazy.

Blaine reluctantly broke the kiss and started driving. They had to check into the hotel and get ready for dinner. He hoped he had packed everything they might need for the weekend.

They checked into the hotel and barely had enough time to change for their dinner reservation. They were too rushed to feel nervous which was probably a good thing, thought Blaine. He didn't want Kurt to stress or overthink the situation. He wanted him to enjoy dinner and the show.

He noticed Kurt looking at the menu and the prices. He seemed to hesitate before ordering and Blaine finally said, "Kurt – order whatever you want. Don't worry about the cost. Trust me." Kurt nodded and finally ordered.

"I normally hate surprises but this one might make me change my mind," he said as he finished his meal. Dinner had been delicious and they had shared a slice of cheesecake before heading over to the theater. "Thank you for tonight."

Blaine cheekily replied, "Don't thank me yet, the best is still to come."

"Really Blaine – really? You are the cheesiest thing." Kurt laughed and leaned in close for a quick peck on the lips as they found their seats. He held Blaine's hand and sighed in contentment. He loved his life. He loved his job and he definitely loved this man sitting next to him. He couldn't stop thinking about making love to Blaine and while he figured the show was good he honestly couldn't remember a thing about it at the end.

They rushed to the hotel after the show. They were both nervous but at the same time they were positive that this was the right move for them which helped them focus on each other. They were comfortable being naked around each other. Blaine wasn't conscious about his scars anymore and Kurt realized that Blaine loved him regardless of how skinny and pale he was compared to his own tanned body. While they had not had penetrative sex they had stroked each other to completion with their hands and mouths before and this was just an extension of their love.

Blaine had come prepared. He stopped kissing Kurt long enough to grab the small bottle of lube and condoms from his bag. He let Kurt set the pace and lost himself in the feel and taste of the man in his arms. There was pain, awkwardness and smiles but overall the prevailing emotion was love as they sank into each other.

Kurt winced as he tried to roll over the next morning. He felt the burn in his backside and he needed to use the bathroom but as usual Blaine had him pinned down. Sleeping with Blaine was like sleeping with a leech. Their arms and legs were tangled up and Blaine had fallen asleep on top of Kurt essentially making it almost impossible for him to get out of the bed. He knew Blaine was ticklish so he started to lightly run his fingers up along his ribcage tickling him until Blaine tried to wiggle away from his fingers. He managed to escape and crawled back in bed after using the restroom.

He saw that Blaine had woken up and was smiling at him, "Hi."

"Hi there," he answered feeling a bit shy.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore."

"I'm sorry," whispered Blaine hating that he had hurt him. He had tried to be gentle with him but they had both lost their minds in the heat of the moment.

"I'm not," said Kurt as he gathered Blaine into his arms kissing him lightly. "Everything about last night was perfect. I love you and I'm glad we finally made love to each other."

Blaine laughed as Kurt rolled him over and proceeded to make his backside burn.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own Jay Leno, the mayor of NY or Glee….

Chapter 19:

The two weeks flew by. They spent every moment of the day together. After their first time together, they decided that as long as they were in the same place they would sleep in the same bed. It didn't matter if they were spending the night at Kurt's house or Blaine's house. By this point their families knew that nothing they said would keep them apart so they didn't even try.

Their last night together was spent at Kurt's house. Blaine had already said his goodbyes to his family and since they were scheduled to fly out early in the morning they headed to Kurt's room right after dinner.

"I'm going to miss us being together," said Kurt teary-eyed. "I hate that we are stationed so far away from each other."

"I know. I keep hoping that someone will swap assignments with me but so far nothing," sighed Blaine. He knew it would be almost impossible to find someone who wanted to swap the sandy, warm beaches of Florida for the frigid, desolate Wyoming flat-lands. He would keep trying – there was nothing else to do.

"Hell, I would swap with you in a heartbeat. I know that I will be hating life in the humidity of Florida. I might even have to start my moisturizing regime up all over again." After May 13th, he had pretty much abandoned the extremely rigid moisturizing regime he had religiously followed since he was 10 years old. The left side of his face was still puckered and he had to give up using his products while his face had been healing. No amount of moisturizing would give him back his porcelain complexion. However, he realized that the sun would make his scar worse and he wanted to make sure he did everything he could from letting it get uglier. The weeks in basic had really taken a toll on his skin. Blaine repeatedly told him the scar didn't bother him but he never truly believed him. How could it not? Too bad he couldn't wear a half-mask like the phantom of the opera. He realized that while he had lost many of his affectations after May 13th he had never truly lost his flair for being overly dramatic. He still tended to avoid any and all mirrors as much as possible.

"Yes, but I am not the "fighter engine whisperer" that you are so they wouldn't let us swap. We need to have the same AFSC – engine whisperer," smirked Blaine referring to the accolades Kurt's trainer's had given him in tech school. There just wasn't an engine or mechanical part that Kurt could not bend to his will.

"Funny, funny, little, hobbit man. You are just lucky that I love your wee, little self so much!"

"Hey, I didn't hear you complaining about my "size" last night," said Blaine. He noticed the blush on Kurt's face as he remembered what they had done the night before.

"True, I love everything about you and that does happens to be one of my favorite parts," he said laughingly reaching out and tweaking his penis. "Seriously though, how are we going to manage to see each other?"

"I'm not sure. I pretty much used up all my leave already but I know that sometimes our unit gets days off during holidays. The next one coming up is July 4th. If I manage to get some time off I might try to fly to Florida. Hopefully they will let me do that without having to take any leave."

"I'm not even sure what the protocol is at Eglin. All I know so far is that I'm scheduled to check in to the base before midnight tomorrow night. My leave is all gone as well and since I will be low man on the totem pole I'm not even sure what my duty schedule will be. Personnel is 7:30-4:30 while mine is 24 hour shifts. I am hoping I get the graveyard shift."

"Why?"

"Less exposure to the sun." Blaine knew that Kurt was still grappling with his scars and didn't say anything. He made a mental note to keep telling Kurt how gorgeous he truly was.

"Right – well let me know as soon as you get your duty schedule," he grabbed Kurt and spooned him. He wanted to just lie in bed and savor having his boyfriend all to himself for their last night together.

Kurt reached up and nuzzled his nose into Blaine's neck. He breathed in deeply trying to internalize the smell that was uniquely Blaine so that he would have something to think about when he was all alone. He started kissing him slowly trying to press his body against Blaine's. His body responded and before he knew it he was close to losing control. He was desperate – he wanted to pound into Blaine and claim every inch of him and he couldn't seem to slow down or stop.

Blaine seemed to sense Kurt's desperation and while he wasn't sure what was happening he let Kurt set the pace. He didn't want to think about all the lonely nights ahead of them so he just gave in to the sensations that Kurt elicited from his body.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox

The next morning they boys dressed in their uniforms and said farewell to everyone that had come to say good-bye. The go to the airport in plenty of time to board their flight and before they knew it they were landing in Atlanta. They each had a layover in Atlanta so they decided to hang out at the USO. The USO provides a place for military members and their dependents to rest, eat, shower and wait for their flight in comfort rather than just waiting at the gate. They ate lunch and just sat together and enjoyed their last moments together. Eventually it was time for both of them to catch their connecting flights.

Kurt arrived at Fort Walton Beach, Florida and was met by his sponsor Sgt. Scott who happened to be his immediate supervisor. After getting his luggage they proceeded to the parking lot and Kurt thought he was going to die from the humidity and heat. Kurt hated to sweat and he was sweating like a pig. He knew that by the time they go to the base he would look like a wilted flower.

The fighter unit was manned 24 hours so their first stop was at the unit personnel office where Kurt was introduced to the First Sergeant, Master Sergeant Johnson. His sponsor explained that the First Sergeant was the chief advisor to the squadron commander. If anyone got in trouble it was usually the First Sergeant that got called. He was responsible for the morale and welfare of all the troops under his wing.

"The First Sergeant knows everything that happens in this squadron. Make sure you let him know if anything is wrong or you need advice. He will know about a speeding ticket before it is even signed by the MP issuing the ticket," said Sgt. Scott. "Now let's get to billeting so that we can get your dorm assignment."

Kurt was thrilled to find that he was assigned a single room. After months of sharing living quarters he was ecstatic to finally have his own space even though it was small. The best part was that he shared a bathroom with only one other person instead of having to use the community showers they had at tech school and at basic. Sgt. Scott helped him carry all his stuff to his room and then took him to the "chow hall" as the dining hall was called for dinner. They ate dinner and Kurt got to meet a few of the members in his unit before finally getting back to his room. He had to report for duty by 7:30am and he was exhausted. Sgt. Scott promised to pick him up in the morning and left Kurt alone.

Kurt immediately picked up his phone and called his dad to let him know he had arrived safely. He described his room and what he had seen of the base which wasn't much. He did ask his dad if maybe he could drive his Navigator down to Florida so that he could have his own transportation. The base was huge and it was spread out. There was a shuttle that he could take for the time being but he wasn't sure if the shuttle ran at night and he wasn't looking forward to waiting for a shuttle in triple digit weather. His dad agreed to drive his car down as soon as he could get away from the shop.

After calling his dad he quickly dialed Blaine's number and waited for him to answer. "Hey sweetie, how did it go today?" asked Blaine.

"I reported to duty and got my dorm room. I'm lucky enough to get a single dorm and only have to share the bathroom with my neighbor, who I have yet to meet. It is hot and sticky and I should find out tomorrow what schedule I will be working."

"I just got home not too long ago. I flew into Denver and then had to wait for the connecting flight to Cheyenne. I will make sure to ask about the 4th of July weekend as soon as I get to work tomorrow." They talked for a few more minutes before they called it a night. They were both tired and they both had to report for duty early the next day.

"I love you and I will try to SKYPE you tomorrow," said Kurt.

"Bye, love you too."

xoxoxoxoxxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoox

Blaine was working on some routine Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders when he saw the name on the next set: A1C Timothy Blanken. Blaine blinked his eyes and walked over to Tim's desk. He dropped a copy of the orders in front of Tim's face and told him to read the orders.

"You got orders to Randolph Air Force Base in Texas."

"Oh my GOD! This is the ticket out! No more snowstorms, negative wind-chill factor, frostbite on my dick and best of all it is to Headquarters! Do you know what this means Anderson?"

"That you get paroled?"

"No dummy – it means that you now have connections. Don't think I don't know that you are dying to get orders to Florida so that you can be near that yummy, delicious, gorgeous man candy you call your boyfriend."

"How do you know my boyfriend is gorgeous, yummy or delicious?" asked Blaine looking at him through narrowed eyes.

"I don't have to be gay to appreciate beauty." At Blaine's confused look he continued, "The last time we played poker was in your dorm room and I looked at all the pictures you have of Kurt hanging around your room. He is gorgeous. That scar does nothing to hide his beauty – it actually makes him look hotter! Once I get to Randolph I will be able to try and help you get orders closer to him."

"You would do that for me?" asked Blaine trying not to get his hopes up. He wasn't sure how Tim could help but he planned on keeping in touch with Tim. "When do you report to Randolph?"

"It says July which is kind of short notice but it isn't like I have dependents to worry about. Hell, I'm going to call and see if I can get there by the end of June. Wish me luck," he said as he reached for the telephone. Blaine wished him luck and wandered back to his desk. He still had plenty of paperwork to do before he could go home and SKYPE Kurt.

xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxox

Kurt felt like he had just stepped out of the shower. He had always loved that moment when he stepped out of the shower and the air was warm and moist and he could just revel in the relaxed womb-like feeling before he opened the bathroom door to let the cool, crisp air shock his body back into life. Florida had ruined that for him.

He hated living in that warm, moist environment 24/7. He was not a warm weather person and he did not appreciate feeling like he was sticky and wet all day long. Kurt was right when he figured that he would get the graveyard shift and he tried to not act too excited when his supervisor gave him his schedule. His duty hours were 10:00pm to 7:00am.

It took him a while to get used to working these hours because he had always been a morning person but he was glad he wasn't out working on the flight line in the intense daytime heat. While still hot, it was at least bearable. After a few weeks of being at Eglin he quickly fell into a routine. After work most of the guys working the graveyard shift would either hit the gym or run a few miles before heading home to sleep. Kurt would try to sleep from 9:00am to at least 4:00pm and then have the afternoon to do whatever he needed to do before talking to Blaine or his family. He had just hung up the phone when there was a knock on his door.

As he opened the door he was almost knocked down by his grandmother's hug. "Surprise!" she shouted.

"What are you doing here?" exclaimed Kurt truly surprised as he saw his grandfather standing behind his grandmother.

"Your dad couldn't get away from the shop to drive your car down here so we volunteered. The joys of being retired – plus we have a bunch of friends who retired in Florida. We are planning on staying in the area for the next month or so catching up with old friends. I hope we can manage to take you out to dinner a few times while we are here," she squeezed him so hard he had to wiggle out of her embrace.

"Let the boy breathe woman," huffed his grandfather as he hugged Kurt. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I was just headed down to the chow hall for a quick bite."

"Well get your shoes on boy and we will take you to one of the best seafood restaurants in Destin."

They made their way to Destin was about 30 minutes away and they were able to get seated right away. Kurt was amazed at how white the sand dunes were – from the car it looked like snow was covering the beach. Destin was a popular beach resort and there were plenty of tourists around enjoying the sun and surf. His grandfather asked Kurt questions about work and he mentioned that he was having dinner with the base commander the next day.

"Please don't mention me at all grandpa. I don't want to draw any attention to myself. I want to just do my job and hope it speaks for itself."

"I'm proud of you son – why wouldn't I mention you?"

"Just please don't. I don't want anyone comparing me to the famous General Allen. I remember how we spent a whole week during basic and tech school reading about your exploits and how instrumental you were in planning and executing the air strikes during the Persian Gulf War, Desert Storm and other classified conflicts. All I remembered was how you used to sit down and have tea parties with me whenever you visited. It was kind of hard to reconcile both images in my head. The TI's never looked at me the same when they found out you were my grandfather. I think they were disappointed."

"He did look handsome in his uniform sitting in a child sized chair learning how to properly hold his pinkie," laughed his grandmother.

"Ha – I'll have you both know that those lessons helped me when I happened to get invited to have tea with the Queen of England. She was most impressed with the fact that I knew the proper etiquette of how to hold a teacup. I never did thank you for that pinkie knowledge so as payment - I won't bring you up in conversation tomorrow if that will make you uncomfortable."

"I kind of just want to blend in right now especially since I'm brand new and still trying to learn the ropes. I don't want anyone to assume I'm as smart and awesome as you are grandpa."

"Don't sell yourself short Kurt – you are one of the strongest people I know. Now, who wants dessert?"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Blaine was sitting in bed studying for his promotion test. He had the television on as background noise. Leno was on and he was interviewing the mayor of New York and he saw clips of 9-11 being broadcasted. He knew Kurt's mom had died on that day so he reached over to turn the volume up. The mayor was discussing how after 9-11 the nation's patriotism was at an all-time high. Flags were flown from every available surface. The same was true after the May 13th bombing in LA. However, it seemed that after a while everyone went back to the business of living their normal every-day life which is not a bad thing but he wanted that feeling of unity to be a normal part of life.

"When my kids were young we used to celebrate birthday "months" not just a single day. We would actually plan activities the whole month to let them know how loved and appreciated they were and they loved this concept. I want to start a new tradition in New York. As you know, Jay, we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th every year with fireworks, picnics and barbeques. I want to celebrate the nation's birthday for two weeks starting on the 14th of June which is Flag Day."

"Flag Day – huh – that is a little known holiday. I don't remember ever getting drunk on Flag Day," laughed Leno.

"Exactly – well not the drunk part but the fact that not too much is known about this holiday. It actually commemorates the adoption of our flag and I think it should be celebrated by all Americans. I love to see our flag flying proudly on people's lawns, cars, and businesses," replied the mayor.

"What type of activities are you planning for this 2 week lead-in to the 4th of July?"

"We are kicking off the celebrations with a citizenship ceremony at the Statue of Liberty. We are inviting 100 immigrants who have completed all of the requirements in their quest to achieve American citizenship to celebrate this important milestone in their lives with us. We will be broadcasting the ceremony on national television."

"That's a lot of people when you include the immediate families. How are you going to fit everyone at the Statue of Liberty?"

"Due to space limitations their immediate families will be at Ellis Island during the actual ceremony. There will be screens set up so that the families can witness their loved ones take their oath which Supreme Court Justice O'Leary has graciously volunteered to officiate. After the ceremony everyone will be taken to Central Park where there will be music, dancing, food and of course, once the sun sets – fireworks. There will be nightly concerts at the park and we will have performances every night during the 2 weeks prior to the 4th of July. We have quite a few well known New Yorkers performing during the free nightly concerts such as Lady Gaga who has volunteered to perform her new song. I hope to see you and your family there Jay."

"Mayor, thank you for coming on the show – I plan on being there – not sure what day but I think this is good for the city of New York as well as the nation. Count me in – and now ladies and gentlemen stay tuned for…" Blaine noticed the time and decided it was time for bed. He quickly shut off the television and sent a quick text to Kurt wishing him goodnight. He didn't think about New York or its celebrations. The only things he wanted to dream about were blue eyes and his future with the love of his life. Unfortunately for him there were others thinking and dreaming about New York.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

June 14, 2013 – 8:05am

The day was bright and clear. The weather was cooperating and the city was wearing its patriotic colors proudly. Flags were displayed proudly and red, white and blue balloons were floating here and there. It truly was a beautiful sight to see. The honored guests at the swearing in ceremony were being walked through the security checks and loaded on to a bus that would take them directly to the site. The families were going to be shuttled to Ellis Island as soon as they were cleared by security. The mayor was personally escorting Justice O'Leary to the site and staying in contact with his people - making sure everything was going smoothly on all counts. The ceremony was scheduled to start at exactly 9:00am and he wanted to make sure they weren't running behind.

June 14th - 8:20am

The couple walked into the offices of NY Skyline Helicopter Tours hand in hand. "Can I help you?" asked the receptionist.

"Good Morning, my wife and I are on our honeymoon and would like to schedule a helicopter tour for today. Would that be possible?" asked the young man.

"Definitely, today is actually a great day. The skies are clear and you should be able to see all the sights perfectly. Tours are approximately 15 minutes in length."

"How soon can we go up? My wife gets nervous so the sooner we can get up in the air the better."

"We have a 9:30am appointment available. That will be $150.00. I just need to have you fill out these forms and will you be paying in cash or by credit card?"

"Cash," he replied as he started filling out the paperwork. While he filled out the paperwork the receptionist tried to engage the woman in conversation to no avail. She looked about 24 years old, beautiful and seemed to be pregnant.

"When are you due?" she asked her and when she didn't answer her husband replied, "Oh, I'm sorry my wife doesn't speak English. She is trying to learn but she hasn't been here that long. Our son is due in October."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you." He handed her his driver's license as she wrote down his pertinent information and gave him a copy of the paperwork. He paid her in cash and mentioned that they would return in time for their appointment.

"There is a small cafe a few blocks over in case you want to rest before your appointment."

"Thank you, my wife was saying something about craving some pastries earlier so we might just do that." The receptionist watched them walk out of the office and hurriedly picked up the phone to contact the pilot and let him know he had a customer in about an hour.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

9:00am

The National Anthem had been sung by the choir of one of the local public elementary schools. The students had been bused to the ceremony and were being seated before the ceremony was to begin. They were exceptionally well behaved, no doubt because they were also scheduled to sing the National Anthem and God Bless the USA right before Lady Gaga was to perform next week and they didn't want to mess that opportunity up by misbehaving.

The mayor welcomed the honored guests, thanked the choir and introduced Justice O'Leary. After a brief speech he turned the podium over to Justice O'Leary who congratulated the immigrants who were about to become American citizens. He asked them to stand and repeat the oath of allegiance.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

9:30am

The couple walked with the pilot towards the helicopter. He explained the emergency procedures and made sure they were belted in tightly. He didn't need his customers falling out of the chopper if he had to make any sudden moves. He mentioned that he would be able to hover for a bit if they wanted to take photographs from the air. They were to tell him if they wanted a particular shot so that he could find the best angle for them to take the picture.

Bob had flown choppers in the first Persian Gulf War and he had finally retired from active duty a few years ago. He loved his job which combined his love of flying and his love for his country. He loved showing off the Statue of Liberty to his customers and that fly-over always gave him chills. He knew that they were having that special citizenship thing going on at the Statue and he wouldn't be able to get as close as he normally did but he figured they could still get a decent picture from where they would be hovering.

Bob never knew what hit him. One minute he was narrating the history of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and the next minute he was shaking uncontrollably. He had been tasered and was been pulled to the back of the helicopter. The young man took control of the helicopter and aimed it at the crowd.

The 5th grader was starting to get a little squirrely. Sitting was not his forte but he valiantly tried to stay put. He really wanted to perform on the same stage as Lady Gaga next week and he really needed to focus on behaving. He heard a noise and looked up to see a helicopter kind of flying all wobbly up in the air. He had seen the helicopters that flew around town especially the police ones that constantly flew around his neighborhood. This one looked like it was coming a bit too close but they pilot was probably trying to impress his customers and would probably swoop the bird up at the last minute.

He kept staring and waiting for the helicopter to right itself but it didn't happen. A sliver of fear started crawling down his spine as he saw that the helicopter kept coming straight at them. He couldn't control himself any longer. He jumped up and ran as fast as his legs could go but soon realized that he had nowhere to run – he was on an island of sorts surrounded by water. He could hear his teacher calling his name but his fight or flight instinct was too hard to ignore as he dived into the water. As he cut through the water he felt the explosion.

Kurt was dead tired. He had fallen asleep by 8:30am after an intense workout at the gym. He hadn't slept well the day before because he had accompanied his grandparents to Pensacola. His grandfather's friends were throwing him a party and he had been invited and couldn't find an excuse to not attend. He had planned on taking a nap before going in to work but that didn't happen. He had called his dad before going to sleep letting him know that he was going to turn off his cell so that he could sleep uninterrupted and that his grandfather could find him in case of an emergency. He knew Blaine wouldn't call during the day because he knew Kurt was sleeping so when he heard the pounding on his door he woke up so startled that he fell off the bed.

He quickly wrenched the door opened and his heart about stopped when he saw his grandfather at the door. "Did something happen? Is my dad okay?"

"Everyone is fine son. Can I come in?"

"Ummm yeah, what's going on?" Kurt looked at his clock and noticed it was only 1:00pm. He had only been asleep for a few hours and his brain felt fuzzy.

"A helicopter flew into the Statue of Liberty. It was carrying enough explosives to literally blast Liberty Island out of the water. It happened this morning but the authorities still don't really have all the facts yet. I knew you were sleeping but I wanted to make sure you were with someone when you heard the news. I spoke with your dad and he wanted me to make sure you were okay. He is worried that this would bring back memories or the nightmares that haunted you after May 13th."

He watched Kurt sit on his bed lost in thought and was starting to worry when he saw his grandson shake his head and straighten his shoulders. "Thanks for coming to let me know. I'm not sure what to think yet especially since there are no concrete details yet. I'll be fine. I'll make sure to call my dad and let him know I'm okay."

"Your grandmother and I will be here for a few more weeks so if you need anything let me know. Also, the Air Force has mental health specialists that are available if you need to speak with a professional. Asking for help doesn't make you weak Kurt – it makes you smart." He left the dorms making a mental note to see Kurt as much as possible while they were in town. He knew Kurt had been plagued with nightmares for a few months last year.

Kurt jumped in the shower so that he could wake up and then called his dad to let him know he was fine. He checked his phone and saw that Blaine had sent him a text to call him no matter what time he woke up. He quickly dialed his number and waited for him to answer.

"Kurt – have you heard what happened today?

"Yeah, my grandfather came by to make sure I was okay. Do you know what happened? I haven't had a chance to turn on the television or log onto the internet."

"They were having a citizenship ceremony at the Statue of Liberty to kick off the 4th of July celebrations and it seems like a helicopter flew straight into the crowd. There was some type of explosion and it was so big that it basically destroyed everything and everyone. The news stations are speculating that this was a terrorist attack because the explosion was too big but there are no details being released yet. Our base has been put on stand-by and rumors are everywhere but I'm not sure what is going to happen."

"I haven't been called in yet but it's probably because I should still be asleep so I don't know anything at all. How many casualties?"

"No one has an exact number yet but the mayor of New York City was one as well as Supreme Court Justice O'Leary."

"Blaine, I want to know if you are okay."

"I'm fine babe. It does bring back memories but I'm fine. For all we know it was an accident not a terrorist attack. How are you?"

"I haven't had a chance to process any of this. I think I'm going to put this on hold until there is more information released. I am going to try to get some more sleep and then go to work and see what they tell me."

"Okay – sounds good try to rest. Love you," Blaine hung up and got back to work while Kurt tried to go back to sleep for a few hours more until he had to get ready for work.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Burt was sitting on the couch waiting for the second inning to start. The Dodgers were playing and he had a running bet with Finn whenever the Dodgers played. All of a sudden the game was interrupted by a Presidential news brief. President Obama walked to the podium and began his statement.

"At approximately 9:45am this morning a helicopter was hijacked in New York City. It was flown into the midst of the citizenship ceremony taking place on Liberty Island. The helicopter was hijacked by two unknown individuals carrying enough explosives to completely destroy the Statue of Liberty and damaged Ellis Island as well. The number of casualties is still unknown but we know that the mayor of New York City, a Supreme Court Justice, 100 newly naturalized American citizens, an elementary school choir and others were among the victims.

No one had come forward to claim responsibility for this heinous act of terrorism. However, I promise that we will find those responsible and they will pay for their crimes against America. I have asked Congress to formally declare war on those who are found responsible as well as for those countries that are offering them asylum. September 11th, May 13th and now June 14th, we will add no more dates to this list. Although I have fought to bring back all American soldiers home from the Middle East it is clear that the War on Terrorism is back in full-force. America will not stand by and see its citizens killed by cowards. I will be sending troops to the Middle East and wherever they are needed to fight this war.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who lost their lives today. Ladies and Gentlemen there will be no further questions since this is still under investigation. As soon as more information is known I will personally address the nation. Thank you and God bless this country and its citizens." There was a moment of silence before pandemonium set in as the reporters hasten to send in their reports. The President of the United States had effectively promised retaliation. It seemed that most service members had just returned from the Middle East and were to be sent back again.

Burt just sat and stared at the screen as the interrupted game came back on. His stomach was in knots. He worried about Kurt and the possibility of him being deployed. He was also worried about Blaine. That boy was part of the family and he was loved just as much as Kurt. He picked up the phone to call his father-in-law to see if he had any information about a possible deployment.

September 2013

Blaine was sitting at his desk trying to process the paperwork needed for those troops being deployed from F.E. Warren AFB. Ever since June 14th there had been thousands of troops mobilized to the Middle East. The helicopter hijackers were identified as jihadists who belonged to a sleeper cell of Al-Qaeda in New York. President Obama, as promised, asked Congress to declare war and Congress signed on the dotted line. They had no choice. The public would have crucified them had they not signed. Americans had seen all the small coffins that held the bodies of the American school children. America had buried their future and that was unacceptable to the voting public who demanded Congress act on their behalf.

So far neither Blaine nor Kurt had been ordered to deploy. Blaine never got a chance to go visit Kurt on the 4th of July and all leaves had been cancelled. Everyone was on standby and nervous as hell. Tim had been sent to Randolph right after the attack on Liberty Island and Blaine had been too busy to keep in touch with him. His office line rang and he picked it up absently, "Personnel Office, Airman First Class Anderson, how may I help you?"

"Anderson – Blanken here, I wanted to call and tell you as soon as I saw his name come up for orders."

"Tim? Orders for whom? Me?"

"Not for you for Kurt. They just came across my desk to be processed - Airman First Class Kurt E. Hummel."

Blaine froze – he couldn't speak – he knew what this meant, "Where is he going?"

"Iraq."

"I need you to get me there Tim."

"Not sure what I can do but let me work on this and I'll let you know. Kurt should be receiving these orders in a few days. Are you going to let him know before he gets them?"

"Probably – I appreciate the call – thanks."

"No problem – I'll call you if I can work something out. It might take me a while but I'll keep trying." Blaine hung up the phone and looking at his watch he realized that Kurt was still asleep. He would have to wait until he was done at work to call him. Iraq. Damn.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

It was almost 5pm before Blaine go back to his dorm. He needed to tell Kurt but he didn't want to do it over the phone. He needed to make sure Kurt was okay when he found out about his deployment. He sent Kurt a text message.

-**Hey there, can we SKYPE?-Sure – how about in 30 min. I'm jumping into the shower.**

**-ok..love you.**

**-Love you too! **

Blaine turned on the television to catch up on the news. Things were not looking good in the Middle East. The United States had declared war on a group of people that were spread out all over the world. The majority of them were living in the Middle East and the U.S. had already deployed about 250,000 members of the armed forces. This number didn't even account for the ships that were patrolling the Persian Gulf.

The problem with this group of terrorists was that they could blend in with their environment and they would strike without any notice. Most of the collateral damage being wrought was to innocent lives but their main target was still Americans. The fighting was getting out of control. It was worse than after 9-11. It seemed that the terrorists had grown confident after successfully targeting LAX and Liberty Island. Blaine forgot to ask Tim what base Kurt would be at but he figured probably near the airport since that would be the most obvious place to house and maintain fighter jets but every camp was dangerous at this time.

Blaine heard the beep signaling an incoming call on SKYPE. He accepted the call and waited until he could see Kurt clearly. He really missed his boyfriend and was upset that he was going to Iraq. "Hey you, how have you been?"

"Hi, I'm doing good -just really tired. We've been on 12 hour shifts for the past month. I've heard rumors of a possible deployment but don't have any details. What's wrong?" He had noticed that Blaine looked worried or nervous.

Blaine didn't even question how easily Kurt could read him. Kurt had the uncanny ability to know when something was bothering him. "Do you remember my friend Tim?"

"The one who PCS'd to Randolph?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my God Blaine – are you getting orders to Eglin!" exclaimed Kurt. He was starting to get excited until Blaine interrupted him…"No, I'm not getting orders to Eglin."

"Oh so why did he call?"

"He called to tell me that he was processing orders for a Kurt E. Hummel?

"OH?…but I just got to Eglin. I'm not due to PCS anytime soon."

"They are deployment orders not PCS orders Kurt."

"Deployment? Oh…oh….where am I going?"

"Iraq. I just realized that I forgot to ask what camp in Iraq but I can call him back tomorrow morning." Blaine watched Kurt's face. He could see him staring off into space thinking. Blaine wanted to know what was going through his mind, "Kurt, talk to me."

"Okay."

"Okay – that's all you have to say?"

"What else can I say Blaine? Do I want to go? No. Am I scared shitless? Yes. This is my job – it's what I signed up to do. I honestly didn't think I would deploy since I am fairly new but I volunteered for this and I'm ready at least I hope I'm ready."

Blaine couldn't speak. He was scared – he knew that Iraq was dangerous. True, Kurt would not be out on the front lines per se; he would be behind the scenes making sure the jets were at their optimum performance but it was still a dangerous place. There were no guarantees in life and he wanted happily ever after with this man besides him and he just felt like their life was out of control. Of course, he needed to keep a stoic face in front of Kurt. He wanted to be a support not a hindrance to his boyfriend.

"When do I leave?"

"Not sure, Tim said you should be receiving your orders in a few days. Call me as soon as you get them, ok."

"Okay." The spoke for some time until Kurt needed to get to the chow hall and run some errands before heading to work.

* * *

><p>Kurt got to work a few minutes early. He liked being there early to look at the maintenance schedule and see what pieces of machinery needed priority. Kurt liked to work on the more challenging projects and his boss was pretty good about letting him pick his projects.<p>

"Hummel, can I see you in my office?" asked his boss.

"Sure, let me just put this part down and I'll be right in." As soon as Kurt walked in his boss asked him to sit down.

"As you know there have been quite a few squadron of fighter jets deployed to the Middle East. We have been tasked with sending a group of 10 maintenance people to Iraq. I had the unpleasant task of choosing who goes on this deployment. I know you just arrived and are fairly new to the military but you are one of the best mechanics I've seen in a long time. I put your name down on the list. I thought about sending in Thompson but his wife is about to give birth and I think that while he is the more experienced mechanic you have that innate ability to diagnose mechanical problems while he has to analyze every part of the whole engine before he is comfortable diagnosing the problem."

"When do I leave?"

"You leave in 3 weeks. Your deployment will be a 15 month long deployment and it can be rough so taking a few days to spend with family before you deploy is important. I am authorizing a week's vacation for you - this will still give you 2 weeks to get all your deployment stuff done. Your vacation officially starts on Monday but I'm giving you the day off on Friday so you can get an early start on your vacation. Go ahead and finish up your shift tonight and swing by the personnel department to get your paperwork started before going to bed tomorrow morning. Any questions?"

"I'm sure I will have questions later but for the moment I can't think of a single one. Thanks." Kurt left the office and quickly got back to work. He was excited about going to see his family. If he left Friday night then he would get a total of 9 days of vacation. He decided he would go to Lima for 3 days and then head to Wyoming for the rest of the time. He wondered if he could manage to surprise Blaine in Wyoming. He couldn't wait to see him again.

* * *

><p>Kurt stepped off the plane and waited for his grandfather to pick him up. He had called his grandfather as soon as Blaine had told him about his orders. He also called him to let him know he was going to be in Lima for a few days to say goodbye to his family. He wanted to surprise his dad. "I'll pick you up at the airport."<p>

"Are you in Ohio?"

"Yeah, I'm just checking up on some of the property we have up here and making sure everything is okay. Your grandmother is in Palm Desert but I'm going to call her as soon as we are done talking and have her book a flight to Lima so she can see you before you deploy."

"Thanks grandpa. I wanted to tell my dad I was deploying but not over the phone. I'm not sure how he is going to take the news which is why I also didn't tell him I was coming home. Since I wasn't planning on coming down for a while and I don't have Blaine with me I know he is going to suspect something is wrong as soon as he sees me. I'm glad you are there though, this way if dad has any questions I can't answer you will be able to help since you've done all this before."

Kurt saw the moment his grandmother spotted him. She squealed as she threw her body at him almost knocking him down. "I'm so glad to see you sweetie. Your grandfather is parking the car so let's just grab your bag and head out to meet him." They all headed to the Hummel home and Kurt knew he had been right. As soon as Burt saw him he knew.

"When do you leave?" he asked. He had been keeping up with the news in the Middle East and knew that troops everywhere were being deployed. He had hoped that Kurt would not be getting deployed anytime soon but it seemed his worst nightmare was coming true.

"In 3 weeks. I wanted to tell you face to face and see all of you before I left."

"Have you told Blaine yet?"

"He is the one who told me. He has a friend who processes the orders and he noticed my name so he called Blaine to give him a heads up. I'm going to go spend some time with him when I leave here."

"Well I'm glad your home for however long you can stay. We'll talk some more after dinner."

The days spent with his family sped by quickly. Everyone was trying their best to stay positive and for the most part they were able to put their fears aside. Carole did break down a few times and hurriedly left the room before anyone could notice. She kept remembering how the first Persian Gulf War had affected Finn's father and she couldn't stand the thought that Kurt would come back a changed person. She was terrified for Kurt and she didn't think Burt would survive if something happened to his son. After his wife died, Kurt became the sole reason Burt was able to keep on going with his life and now that could all be taken away in the time it took for a bullet or a bomb to find its target.

Burt spent a lot of time talking to his father-in-law trying to reassure himself that Kurt would be okay. He knew that there were no guarantees in a war zone but it seemed he needed to learn everything he could about the place his son would be deployed to for 15 months. He knew Jonathan had spent quite a few years in the Middle East and the man was an expert in Middle Eastern politics. He knew that the top military people still regularly called his father-in-law for advice. He wouldn't be surprised if Jonathan knew exactly what was going on over there.

On his last day home, Burt took Kurt to visit his mother's grave. They normally visited separately but Kurt wanted to have both of his parents with him one last time before he deployed.

"You know your mom would have been very proud of you son."

"I'd like to think so."

"You meant the world to her. You have grown up to be the kind of man any parent would be proud of Kurt. Know that you are loved and please make sure to take care of yourself in Iraq. We all want you home safe and sound." Burt walked back to the car so that Kurt could have a few minutes alone with his mother. He talked to her about his deployment and his impending visit to surprise Blaine. He sighed. He really missed his mother. Carole was wonderful but there was a piece of him that would always wish for his mother. "I'll be back mom," he promised as he walked back to the car.

Dinner that night was spent planning on how to get Kurt's belongings back to Lima. The Air Force would pay for his stuff to be put in storage but Kurt shuddered at the thought of his stuff sitting in some hot, dusty, humid warehouse for 15 months. He also had his car to worry about. His grandparents volunteered to fly down there and gather all of his belonging and drive them back to Lima.

"Thanks – are you guys sure it's not an imposition?" asked Kurt. His grandparents had really stepped in to help him quite a bit since he had enlisted. He wasn't exactly sure what his grandparents did most of the time except that they travelled a lot but he didn't want to mess up any plans they might have had.

"Sweetie, your grandfather worked for 30 some years so that we can have the freedom to do as we please in our old age. Don't worry about us. We have plenty of friends we can visit along the way." said his grandmother.

"Your grandmother is right Kurt, besides your father has to keep the shop going and I love driving. Besides – don't tell your cousins but you are our favorite grandchild."

"You say that to all your grandkids – don't think I don't know that," laughed Kurt.

"Now is your young man picking you up at the airport when you get into Cheyenne?" asked Marissa.

"I'm taking a cab to the base so I can surprise him. He doesn't know I'm going to see him."

"I have a friend who retired in Cheyenne. She will pick you up and take you to the base. She will probably be wearing jeans, a checkered shirt and that god-awful Stetson she never seems to be without."

"No that's ok grandma. I can take a taxi plus I don't want to be a bother."

"Oh honey, you will never be a bother. Mollie will be there so look for her."

Kurt knew it wasn't even worth arguing with her so he just acquiesced. The next morning he said his good-byes. His dad had a hard time letting go but he finally did with a whispered, "I love you son." Kurt walked towards the security checkpoint with a last wave at his family. He was sad at leaving them behind but anxious to see Blaine.

* * *

><p>Kurt walked to baggage claim once he got to Cheyenne. That short flight from Denver had been a bumpy, scary flight. He grabbed his bag and looked around the airport to see if he could spot Mollie. He saw an older lady wearing dusty jeans, a checkered shirt and had what looked like a 10 gallon Stetson in her hand bearing down on him. "You must be Marissa's boy," she said stretching out her hand. "I'm Mollie."<p>

"Hi Mollie, thank you for taking the time to chauffer me around I hate to be a bother."

"Not a bother at all. Jonathan once did me a great favor, one I can never repay no matter how hard I try. Ready?"

Kurt wondered what favor but didn't feel like interrogating her so he followed her out to a battered Ford pick-up truck. They headed straight to the base and he had her drop him off at the Headquarters building where Blaine worked. It was almost time for Blaine to get off of work and since Kurt didn't know where he lived he figured he would just show up at his work and surprise him there. He thanked Mollie for dropping him off, grabbed his bag and headed indoors. He followed the signs to the Personnel Department and walked up to the reception desk.

"Can I help you?" asked the airman behind the counter.

"I'm looking for Airman Anderson."

"He isn't in the office at the moment. Maybe I can help you?" Well I guess the surprise is on me thought Kurt. He didn't count on the fact that Blaine wouldn't be at work.

"Is he expected back soon?"

"No he is gone for the day. Would you like to leave a message?"

"Actually my name is Kurt Hummel and I just flew in to visit Blaine. He doesn't know I'm here. I was trying to surprise him but now I'm not sure what to do since I have no clue where to find him…" his voice trailed off.

"Kurt? Wow, yeah, Blaine has mentioned you. I thought you looked familiar. My name is Adam. Blaine had to go to the firing range today to qualify with his M-16 but I'm pretty sure he is done for the day. If you want to wait a few minutes I can give you a ride to the dorms. I just need to close up shop and then we can go."

"No problem. I'll sit here and wait for you – thanks Adam."

Kurt was soon standing at Blaine's door waiting to knock. He was about to knock when his phone buzzed. He looked at the caller ID and noticed the call was from Blaine. He smiled as he backed up a bit and answered the call, "Hi."

"Hi babe, did you just wake up?" Kurt had not told Blaine he had gone to Ohio. He had really wanted to surprise him.

"No – I've been awake for a few hours. How are you?"

"Ugh, I had to qualify with my M-16 and I just got home and grabbed a shower. I was all grubby. I haven't even had a chance to get dressed. I just really wanted to hear your voice." Kurt's eyebrows rose comically at the thought of Blaine sitting in his room naked on the other side of the door. He quickly knocked on the door.

"Hey babe – can you hold on a bit. Someone is at the door." He quickly grabbed his towel and opened the door. He was unprepared when Kurt stepped in and quickly grabbed him and slammed his body up against the door kissing him hungrily. This went on for a few minutes until they both heard someone yell, "Hey Anderson, who is the hottie and does your boyfriend know you're being violated – against the wall even?"

Kurt turned red as Blaine grabbed Kurt's suitcase, flipped off his friend and closed his dorm room. He dragged the suitcase and set it out of the way and walked over to Kurt, "How, why, when?" He couldn't even seem to formulate a complete thought.

"Honey, breathe." Kurt grabbed him and pulled him into a hug running his hands soothingly over his back. "I was given some leave and I decided to surprise you. I just got back from 3 days in Lima….SURPRISE!"

Blaine had tears in his eyes. He had really missed Kurt and this was too much for him to take in. He had had a long day and his emotions had been too close to the surface ever since he had found out Kurt had orders to Iraq. He had spoken to his boss about possibly taking a few days of leave to go see Kurt but they were swamped processing the orders for all the troops deploying and his boss couldn't spare him at the moment. Blaine understood but that didn't help his emotional state.

"Hey are you okay?" Kurt was starting to worry. Blaine couldn't stop crying so he just led him to the bed and cuddled with him. He held him until he stopped crying and was ready to talk.

"I've missed you. I tried to get some leave to go see you but it wasn't approved. I've been stressing over your deployment and I just feel helpless. There is nothing I can do to make this better and I think seeing you at the door really got to me. I'm just so happy to see you Kurt."

"I should have told you I was coming to see you - maybe that would have lessened the stress a bit. I'm here now so let's just enjoy each other for now and worry about reality later."

"How long are you here for?"

"I'm here for 6 days then I have to go back to Eglin to finish up my deployment stuff. I deploy on September 30th." He leaned down to kiss Blaine and before too long they forgot about everything else around them.


	22. Chapter 22

**a/n: Warning: Violence and death – if this is a trigger don't read**

* * *

><p>Chapter 22:<p>

October 2013

Kurt stepped out of the C-130. He could feel the heat radiating from the tarmac and burning his face. According to the flight crew it was almost 100◦ Fahrenheit outside and it was already October. Kurt sighed as he grabbed his bags – if this was October he could imagine what it would be like in the summer months. It felt like he had been on that airplane for days and he had not been able to sleep. The web seating and the noise inside the plane made it impossible to sleep even with his earplugs in. His arms were also killing him.

He had waited until the last minute to get his immunizations taken care of and he was now paying the price for procrastinating. After all the medical procedures he had undergone in the past year Kurt didn't want to be around doctors or shots. The smallpox, typhoid and the numerous assortments of inoculations he needed left his arms and his ass sore. Lugging around all of his bags and equipment wasn't helping the situation. He was tired - the last time he remembered sleeping and feeling halfway human was at Ramstein Air Base in Germany when they stopped to refuel. There had been a mechanical problem with the plane so they were forced to spend the night at the base lodging. Kurt thought of the hot shower and the comfortable bed longingly.

He had taken the opportunity to call his family to let them know he was about halfway to his destination. He also managed to hook into the military Wi-Fi so he could SKYPE with Blaine. He reached Blaine early in the morning due to the time difference but they were able to chat about an hour before Blaine had to get ready for work. He worried about Blaine. Even though Kurt was more than capable of taking care of himself he knew that Blaine always thought it was his job to take care of Kurt. At first Kurt worried that Blaine saw him as the "girl" in their relationship but he soon realized that a big part of Blaine's personality was being a "caretaker" and there was nothing Kurt could do to change this quirk.

Blaine was really taking his deployment hard and he remembered some of the guys in his shop talking about their upcoming deployment and how it was always harder for the spouses left behind. They were the ones that had to deal with running the house, taking care of the kids, and basically doing everything they normally did plus everything their spouses normally did without any help or without complaining. While Blaine was not his dependent, and there were no children involved he was the one left behind worrying every minute that Kurt was in Iraq.

They had talked about how this deployment would affect them and their relationship and they decided that other than the distance nothing else would change. Kurt made the mistake of asking Blaine if he wanted out of their relationship. He knew things were not ideal and he wondered if Blaine wanted a chance to meet someone else that he could hold every night instead of being in a long distance relationship. Needless to say, Blaine did not react well to Kurt's question. They actually had a massive fight that night and neither one spoke to each other until the next morning once they had had a chance to cool down.

The had decided that they were both just as committed to each other as ever and that they loved each other enough to survive this deployment. Blaine knew Kurt was the one for him and was firm in his resolve to wait for him. Just because things were tough didn't mean he was going to ditch his boyfriend and find another one – hell no - it had taken him months to get Kurt and he wasn't about to give him up quite so easily. They had spent every moment that Blaine wasn't at work wrapped up in their own little world.

Reality bitch slapped him as he looked around and all he could see was a barren, desolate land. He tossed his bags into the 2 ton truck that would carry them and their equipment to the compound that would be his home for the next 15 months. He settled in towards the back of the truck and noticed that there were soldiers with their M-16's at the ready. Kurt had been issued an M-16 and it was currently sitting by his side. He wondered if he should have it in position. He looked around and noticed that only the soldiers guarding the sides had their guns ready so he decided to leave it where it was – by his side. He closed his eyes as he leaned his head back and felt the heat settle on him heavily. After being in Florida for the summer he had become used to the intense heat and humidity and it didn't feel any different here than it did in Florida. It looked different but that was something else he would have to deal with later.

They were all ushered into a trailer to start their in-processing. Camp Victory had at one time housed over 70,000 American troops at the height of the war against terrorism right after 9-11. It had been turned over to the Iraqi government in 2011 once the Americans started drawing down their forces in the Middle East. However, in the last month or so the base was slowly starting to fill back up with an American presence. The military had to start from scratch in Iraq. The millions of dollars' worth of supplies and equipment that were abandoned due to the insane cost of returning them to the U.S. when President Obama started bringing the troops back home had either disappeared or were in ruins.

Kurt was assigned a cot in a FEMA-like trailer with 7 other guys. He had a cot, a thin mattress, a blanket and his foot locker. That was it. There were porta potties all throughout the base since the plumbing inside the building was not up to par. The showers were made of wood and rigged with a plastic poncho serving as the curtain. Primitive camping was the décor. If someone had told Kurt prior to May 2012 that he would be living in a trailer park with outdoor facilities in the middle of Iraq without his designer clothes and his expensive lotions he would have thought they were on crazy pills. Now he looked and lived like a soldier and he loved it well everything except the primitive living conditions and being apart from the love of his life. He might not like his surroundings but he would survive. He finished settling in and fell asleep as soon as he could. He had to report by 7:00am and he was exhausted. His body wasn't sure what time zone it was currently living in and the jet lag was killing him.

The next morning he reported to duty and he quickly fell into a routine. He was on 12 hour shifts and he was unfortunately on the day shift. He was able to work with most of the guys from his unit and they had quite a few Iraqi nationals working alongside the American troops.

The Iraqis had nicknames for everyone and Kurt quickly became known as "the marked one" due to his scar. They were fascinated with his scar and he was still very self-conscience about how ugly it looked. He always did his best to stay out of direct sunlight but being in Florida and now being out in the desert made this almost impossible. The scar was not a clean one. It was puckered and jagged and had lost some of its pinkness. The Iraqis wanted to know how he got the scar but Kurt didn't like to speak about the bombing especially with how he still sometimes jumped whenever he heard bombing near the airport.

When he first got to Iraq he had trouble adjusting to the fact that he would sporadically hear gunfire and explosive going off in the distance. The first few weeks in Iraq saw the return of the nightmares that had been prevalent right after the LAX bombing. He dreaded going to sleep because of his nightmares and he was running on little or no sleep. After about the second month there he seemed to have adapted to the noise and the nightmares lessened and he finally started getting some sleep. While he never confided in the Iraqis he did manage to learn a few simple Arabic phrases from them and as languages had always come easily to Kurt, after a few months he could carry on simple conversations in Arabic with the local nationals.

The sand and the heat started taking a toll on everyone and before here realized it, Kurt had been there 6 months and the days seemed endless. Fortunately the weather had started to cool down and sometimes it got downright cold. He did manage to become a skilled marksman with his M-16 even though he wasn't on the front lines. He was trained to drive the heavy trucks and whenever they weren't busy working on the jets they were busy filling sandbags or trying to keep the boredom at bay. Whenever the supply troops went out to other camps to deliver or pickup supplies they would ask for volunteers to go help them guard their supplies and everyone took turns tagging along. These outings were short and relatively safe. Kurt managed to go on quite a few and he started to look forward to them since they did provide a welcome change from the day to day boredom.

He tried to email Blaine and his family as much as he could but the internet was not always reliable. SKYPE was not really available so he took to writing long letters to everyone especially to Blaine. Kurt quickly became a favorite at the camp. Between his grandparents, parents and Blaine he would get care packages constantly and he was always nice enough to share with everyone. He had just stopped by the mail tent to pick up another package when he ran into one of the motor pool guys.

"Hey Hummel, another box of goodies?" Steven Smith, was an Army Corporal. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall and black. He was from Philadelphia and was as tough looking as any kid raised on the streets getting by with the strength of his fists. Kurt knew Smith was secretly a big softy. Smith worked in the transportation department and they were always busy going out into the villages. Kurt had seen Smith handing out treats to the Iraqi children they would encounter near the local villages and he would organize impromptu football or soccer games during their downtime. Kurt always made sure he saved a couple of candy bags from his care packages specifically for Smith. They had quickly become good friends.

"Yeah, it looks like it. This one is from my grandmother."

"I love those the best. That woman can make the best cookies and always sends enough to feed the whole camp!"

Kurt laughed, "She does make a mean chocolate chip cookie. Why don't you come by the shop later? I'll make sure to save you some."

"I'm actually getting ready to go on a salvage mission. One of the jets had some problems and they had to do an emergency landing this morning. The pilot got out safely but the jet is pretty much totaled. They want us to go out there and take as much of it as we can use and bring it back as soon as possible. Downed aircraft tend to garner unpleasant visits from the locals. I was actually headed over to your area to talk to the Captain. He was supposed to have a couple of you guys come out with us since we aren't sure what is still serviceable. Are you up to a field trip? I could ask your Captain for you specifically if you want a change of pace."

" Huh - That sounds good. I think the Captain had mentioned something about cleaning out some of the latrines and changing out the sand bags so I definitely want to go on a leisurely Sunday drive with you guys instead of cleaning the latrines. Let me know if he approves it. Let me run to my trailer to grab my equipment and I'll meet you at the shop."

"Hurry and bring them damn cookies with you."

Kurt rushed to his trailer and after taking out some of the cookies he put his package under his cot. He grabbed a few granola bars and a couple of extra magazines for his M-16, some sunscreen and headed back to the shop. He really hoped the Captain would let him go. He did not want to clean out the latrines and he certainly didn't want to be on sandbag duty for hours although he did have to admit filling and lifting sandbags had given him some serious muscles. He had always been thin and lithe but his body was now hard and ripped. Kurt's unit managed to exercise at least 2 or 3 hours a day. It helped alleviate boredom and being fit was imperative in a war zone. He couldn't wait for Blaine to get a look at the change in his body!

"Hummel, is that you?" yelled his Captain trying to be heard over the detonating explosives going off in the background.

"Yeah, Captain."

"Get your stuff ready. Smith came by and asked for you specifically. You're going out on a salvage mission so make sure you take enough water and grab a tool kit. Go by the armory and grab some extra magazines. Evaluate all the mechanical components and make sure you grab everything we can re-use." Kurt knew that supplies sometimes took forever to get to them so anything and everything was re-used if possible. Sometimes this meant the difference is lives being saved.

"Yes, sir!" Kurt saluted and ran out of the shop. He needed to go by the armory and then over to motor pool before they left without him. It was a beautiful day. The weather was nice and cold and no sandstorm in sight. He was tired of finding sand in every crevice of his body. He managed to fill up his pockets with extra ammo as a precaution. Things had been calm lately but it was always best to be prepared for any contingency. Kurt was always aware that he was in a war zone. He planned on getting home alive and in one piece.

He hurried to meet up with Smith and the convoy and got there as they were getting ready to roll out. He clambered up onto the back of the truck and settled in between two other soldiers. There was a tank at the front of the convoy and another one bringing up the rear and three 2 ½ ton trucks. Kurt was hoping they would have enough room to carry all the electronic and mechanical components safely back to camp.

Everyone had their M-16s ready in case they were needed. There had been no attacks in this particular area so while they were vigilant because no one knew what type of attention a downed jet would garner from the local population. They made it to the site where the jet landed and were able to salvage most of the components that were still usable. Everyone was doing their best to be quick about getting everything loaded onto the trucks. Kurt was tired by the time they were ready to leave. He had been responsible for testing all of the mechanical parts and quickly devised a method for testing and marking the items that needed to be moved to the trucks.

They were all in a watchful mood when they started back to camp. No one liked to be outside the camp's perimeter once it got dark and they were pushing the envelope. They still needed about 2 hours to go and they sun was already starting to set. Kurt didn't know how it happened but he heard a sharp report and then all hell broke loose. There were men surrounding the convoy shooting at them and yelling obscenities. Everyone started firing at once. The adrenaline kicked in and all of a sudden Kurt felt the soldier next to him shudder and before he knew it he the truck had taken a direct hit from some type of explosive and Kurt staggered back under the weight of the body that slammed into him protecting him from the shrapnel.

Kurt struggled back onto his feet and swung his weapon to the crowd of men trying to climb the side of the truck. He heard men yelling out commands and he tried to figure out who was still alive. All of a sudden he felt an explosive pain on the back of his head and he knew no more.

* * *

><p>Blaine was in his dorm room eating his lunch when his phone rang. He picked up without even checking the caller ID. He figured it was one of the guys wanting to go down to Fort Collins for the weekend. "Hello."<p>

"Blaine, it's Burt. Son, I need you to listen to me and not interrupt until I am done. Can you do that?"

Blaine's heart started stopped, "Is Kurt alright? BURT TELL ME KURT IS OK!" He hadn't realized his voice had escalated until Burt interrupted his rant.

"BLAINE, calm down and listen to me. Kurt was out on a mission when his convoy was attacked. Most of the men were killed and some are missing. Kurt is among the missing. They will be announcing this on the news in a few hours and I didn't want to break it to you over the phone but I didn't want you to hear it on the news either."

"Missing? Where? Who has him? Is he okay?" Blaine could feel the tears and could barely keep his sobs at bay.

"We don't have any other information. His First Sargent called me a few minutes ago. He said he would keep us informed. Jonathan is already making some calls trying to find out information from his friends. As soon as we hear anything I will let you know. Just remember that he isn't dead. Kurt is tough. He will hang in there until we get him back. Blaine, I'm sorry son. I promise I will call you as soon as I know something." Burt could hear Blaine falling apart and there was nothing he could do. He was struggling to stay strong for Blaine but was close to curling up into a fetal position and crying for his son.

Blaine hung up the phone without another word as his world collapsed around him. He cried until there were no more tears. His head hurt at the thought of Kurt injured and at the hands of the enemy while he was sitting on his bed - safe.

He turned on the television to CNN and waited until they ran the story. It was a recap of everything Burt had told him. The only difference was that they were showing video footage of the area. The footage was shot from a helicopter so the image was grainy but he could see what looked like the remains of a few trucks and a tank still burning as well as bodies strewn all around the wreckage. The camera was far enough away that it was difficult to tell if the bodies were American or local nationals since many of them were in pieces. Blaine barely made it to the bathroom before he started throwing up. He couldn't stop until there was nothing left in him. He laid on the bathroom floor until his neighbor found him and helped him to his bed. He fell into a restless sleep dreaming of Kurt's smiling face.


	23. Chapter 23

**a/n: Warning: violence – if this is a trigger don't read**

* * *

><p>CHAPTER 23:<p>

Kurt didn't know where he was when he woke up. All he felt was the excruciating pain radiating from every fiber of his body. He tried to sit up but his arms couldn't support his body weight. He finally realized that his left arm was broken and that he was lying on the ground. He managed to open one eye but couldn't see much in the dark. He tried to sit himself up again but this triggered pain so intense pain that he blacked out.

The next thing he knew he was being hauled up by this arms. He couldn't help but scream he screamed as his broken arm was yanked. He was roughly shoved into a chair and a bottle of water was handed to him. He drank greedily until he had emptied the bottle. He looked around blinking at the bright sunlight shining through the filthy windows. He noticed a group of men huddled against a wall. Some were loaded down with weapons and had their faces covered with bandanas. The two that were standing in front of Kurt started speaking.

"What is your name?" asked one of the men. Kurt didn't know if he was the leader or just their interpreter.

"My name is Kurt Hummel."

"What were you doing on the road to Baghdad?"

"My name is Airman Kurt Hummel. My serial number is 555-56-5555. My date of birth is May 27, 1990." He was slapped hard and the question repeated.

"I am required to state my rank, name, date of birth and serial number according to the Code of Conduct. My name is Airman Kurt Hummel. My serial number is 555-56-5555. My date of birth is May 27, 1990." After the fourth time he was asked the same question and his answer remained the same he was hit so hard that he was knocked unconscious. He welcomed the darkness.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed but he slowly gained consciousness. He could hear the men talking amongst themselves so he decided to keep his eyes closed and listen to see what he could learn about his situation. The men were talking in Arabic and Kurt tried to follow the conversation even though he had trouble pushing past the pain.

"This one is tough. You can tell he has seen combat before even though he looks young. I wonder how he got his scar."

"All I want to know is what were they doing, where were they coming from and to see what else we can learn about their mission."

"Did you have to hit him hard enough to knock him unconscious?"

"I only tapped him a few times."

"I know I can get him to talk…dammit I can't believe they sent us here without our tools. I hate hitting people. It really damages my hands."

"Yes well – sometimes we need to improvise. Now we have to wait until he is conscious again."

"Throw him back into the back room and bring out the next one. Let's see which one of them will give us what information we need." Kurt wasn't sure who was talking about but before he could gather more information he was unceremoniously dragged out of the room, thrown into a different room, kicked a few times and again the darkness embraced him.

_Kurt felt the hands soothingly run through his hair and he heard a melody he hadn't hear in a long time. He felt the brush of lips on his forehead. "Blaine?"_

"_No honey it's me?" _

"_Mom?"_

"_Yes sweetie. I'm here. Just rest. I'll take care of you." Kurt could feel her hands gently rest his broken arm on his chest. He groaned in pain and she instantly soothed him. "Mom it hurts."_

"_I know sweetie. I can try to take some of the pain away but I can't take away all of it."_

"_They will keep hurting me won't they?"_

"_Yes. They want information and they will keep hurting you until they get what they are looking for."_

"_I won't give them anything."_

"_My poor boy." Kurt felt her tears fall on his face as she leaned in to kiss his swollen face. "Can you sing me a song like you used to when I was little and I would fall off of my bike and get hurt?" he asked. He fell asleep with his mother singing an old lullaby. He felt warm and loved._

Kurt woke up when he heard the door open. He turned his face to the door and saw two men throw Corporal Smith into the room. Smith was out cold. Kurt could see that the man had also taken quite a beating. His leg was twisted in a weird angle so he figured it was broken. He tried to get up off the floor but couldn't so he just dragged himself over to his friend. He found a pulse and was glad that his friend was alive.

"Smith, wake up," he whispered. He wasn't sure where the enemy was and didn't want to get caught talking. He gently shook the sleeping man and he heard his groan in pain.

"Smith, wake up."

"Hummel?"

"Yeah it's me. Can you move?"

"My leg is broken and I think I have a concussion from the damn beating I just got plus bumps and bruises. What about you?

"My left arm is broken, pretty sure I have a concussion and am pretty sure I was hallucinating because I thought my dead mother was singing me a lullaby and I can barely open my eyes since they are pretty much swollen shut."

"Who else is here?"

"You are the only one I've seen. I don't remember much after that grenade hit us and I flew out of the truck. Next thing I know I'm being asked questions and I guess they didn't like my answers since they beat the shit out of me."

"Sounds like a repeat of what happened to me. All they got out of me was my rank, name, date of birth and serial number."

"Yeah that's what they got from me too. I wonder how long they are going to interrogate us."

"I figure until we break or die." Kurt was right. They decided to keep track of the days by marking a line in the dirt. Before long they had 10 lines and the last one was drawn by Smith using his nose since both of his hands were now broken along with all ten fingers. Kurt fared no better. Neither one was sure how much longer they could take the beatings and the constant pain.

* * *

><p>Burt was going crazy. It had been over a week since Kurt had been missing in action and there was no new information. On the 9th day he woke up to find Jonathan talking to an Air Force General in the living room. His heart plummeted and his feet almost gave out. He grabbed the back of the couch and could only whisper, "Kurt?"<p>

Jonathan ran over to him and guided him to the couch. "Shit Burt, I'm sorry. No we haven't heard anything about Kurt yet. This is General Harvey. He worked for me as a Lieutenant and he is now stationed at the Pentagon. He is here as a friend. I'm sorry we almost gave you a heart attack. He came by with some disturbing news. We were just about to get a coffee and talk. Join us?"

The three men made their way into the kitchen. Marissa was fixing coffee and taking some biscuits out of the oven. "Jack, it's good to see you!" she exclaimed giving General Harvey a hug.

"Marissa, it's good to see you and Jonathan. I'm just sorry it is under these circumstances."

"Jack is here with some news. Let's all grab a coffee and sit down."

"The news isn't good. There were originally five men missing in action. Yesterday afternoon three bodies were dumped off near the village right outside Camp Victory. The bodies were identified as American service members. None of the bodies were Kurt but they were some of the men that were missing along with Kurt."

"Do they know how they died?" asked Burt. He could tell General Harvey didn't want to answer the question. "Please, I need to know the truth."

"They were tortured extensively and then shot pointblank." Burt almost lost it at that moment. Just the thought of his baby being tortured made him sick. He left the kitchen and walked back to his bedroom and did not come out for the rest of the day. He knew he needed to be strong for Carole but she was working a double shift so he took the time to cry. He would have to call Blaine and update him but he wanted wait until he was sure he wouldn't break down when he was talking to Blaine. He needed to be strong. Burt was surrounded by family but Blaine was all alone in Wyoming and he needed someone to lean on. Kurt had made him promise that if anything happened to him while he was in Iraq he would look after Blaine. He was damned if he wouldn't keep his promise to his boy.

* * *

><p>"Jack, tell me how these men were tortured," said Jonathan after Marissa had left the room to check up on Burt. He didn't want her hearing this conversation.<p>

"Are you sure you want to hear the details?"

"I need to know."

"They were severely beaten and it seems that almost every bone in their body was broken. They endured an enormous amount of pain before they died. There is something else I need to inform you of Jonathan. It seems that a reporter found the connection between you and Kurt and the story was posted online before we could stop it from leaking."

Jonathan had been dreading the moment but knew that sooner or later the news would be out in the open. Jonathan had been instrumental in the planning and implementation of thousands of strikes against the enemy during the first Persian Gulf War and other classified incidents in the Middle East during his time in the military. He was a man that was respected and hated by most Middle Eastern countries. There had been numerous assassination attempts on General Allen's life while he was on active duty. It seemed that once he retired and was out of the limelight he had been forgotten. However, Jonathan knew that as soon as the men holding Kurt hostage found out that they were holding General Allen's grandson as a POW Kurt would most likely be killed in retaliation.

"Jack thank you for coming all the way down here to tell me in person. Please let me know if you hear anything else."

"I'm truly sorry Jonathan. I wish we had more information. We have a search and rescue team out looking but no one seems to know who is holding him prisoner or where they are holding him. I will call you if there is anything to report." Jonathan knew his friend meant that he would contact him when Kurt's body was found. First Elizabeth and now Kurt. The only reason Jonathan survived losing his daughter was because of his grandson. He couldn't lose him. He put his head down and let the tears fall.

* * *

><p>"<em>Kurt – wake up."<em>

_Kurt could barely move but Mr. Schue kept telling him to wake up. "Ok – Ok – I'm awake."_

"_I know it's hard Kurt but you have to wake up. You can't let the darkness suck you in."_

"_It hurts."_

"_I know but you need to focus on something other than the pain. Remember the good times at McKinley…" _

_Kurt interrupted him, "Other than Glee Club there were no "good" times at McKinley Mr. Schue. I was bullied every day and no one tended to notice or do anything about it which is why I would rather be asleep at the moment."_

"_Okay well what makes you happy?"_

"_Blaine," Kurt didn't even hesitate to answer._

"_Tell me about him." Kurt proceeded to tell Mr. Schue all about Blaine and how they managed to stay together even though they were stationed far apart from each other._

"_Don't give up Kurt. Keep focusing on staying strong and just remember that there are people that love you and need you to stay alive. I've got to go but I'll come back to visit."_

Kurt managed to wake up but almost succumbed to the pain. He hurt. He couldn't even remember how long he had been out this time around. He looked around and noticed Smith by the far wall. He looked bad and he could hear him wheezing.

"Smith – you awake?"

"Barely, I'm having trouble breathing. I think they broke some of my ribs and I'm hoping like hell they don't puncture a lung. I would hate to die anytime soon. I was wondering when you were going to wake up. You kept mumbling about someone. All I could make out was the name Blaine and something about his shoe. Who is Blaine?"

"My boyfriend and no I wasn't talking about his shoe I was talking to Mr. Schue, my teacher, which means I seriously have some type of concussion going on. How long have we been here now? I vaguely remember the fifth mark on the floor but everything after that is a blur all I remember is someone trying to shove rice down my throat."

"We are on day 15. They stopped trying to interrogate us. I think the guys interrogating us left along with most of the guards. I heard a vehicle outside after the last time I was taken to question and I've only seen the guy who brings us water and rice since then. Not sure when the rest will return but as long as they aren't here we aren't being used as punching bags."

"I'm sorry I haven't been awake to keep you company."

"Yeah, I can see your social skills need some help." Kurt tried to laugh but it hurt too much so he just lay there like a lump.

"I keep thinking about my wife and daughter. They are probably going crazy wondering if I'm alive or not." He started coughing and couldn't speak for a while. "It hurts bad – Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Not sure I can guarantee anything but you can ask."

"If I don't make it out of here can you let them know that they were the last thing I thought about and that I loved them very much?"

Kurt was silent for a few minutes before he replied, "I want to say yes, I can do that for you but I'm right next to you laying in a pile of my own blood and body fluids so I'm not sure I can deliver on that favor." He shifted his body but the wave of dizziness that accompanied any movement took his breath away for a few minutes. "Will you let my family know the same thing if I don't make it out?"

Smith groaned, "Yeah….I'm tired Hummel….I'm going to just sleep for a bit."

Kurt tried to stay awake. He tried to move his limbs but he couldn't. His body was on fire. He didn't know if he had a fever or if it was the intensity of the pain that was radiating throughout his body but eventually he passed out.

* * *

><p>Burt put down the phone and sighed. He hated breaking Blaine's heart but he had made a promise that he would keep him abreast of the situation. Blaine tried to take leave to come home but it was denied. There were too many troops getting deployed and with the fast build-up in the Middle East all vacations had been canceled.<p>

Burt told him to stay in Cheyenne. There was nothing any of them could do for Kurt at the moment except pray for him and he felt that Blaine needed the distraction of work to keep him sane. He himself was doing extra shifts at the shop to keep himself busy. He had left early today because he needed to go visit Elizabeth.

Burt drove out to the cemetery after stopping by the florist's shop. He set the bouquet of flowers on the vase that was attached to the headstone and started pulling the weeds from around his wife's grave.

"Kurt is missing but I'm sure you already know that – God Lizzie, I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless. Our baby is out there and I know he is scared and probably hurting and there is nothing I can do to stop it. I know you are with him taking care of him. Tell him he is loved and we want him home safe." He sat by her side for a while lost in the memories of his son. He felt a sense of peace settle on him and he knew that he would have to stay strong. Kurt would need him when he came home. With a renewed sense of hope he walked back to his car and headed home.

* * *

><p>"<em>Sweetie, try to wake up and drink some water."<em>

"_I can't mom. My arms are broken and I can't seem to lift my head high enough to tip the cup over."_

"_How about if you nudge it with your nose and try to tilt it a bit."_

"_I can't even feel my nose mom. I think it's broken as well."_

"_You've got to try Kurt. You can't give up. Your dad needs you to come home safe and sound. It will kill him if you don't come home. Now, young man – wake up and try to get water!"_

"_Okay – way to go with the guilt trip."_

Kurt woke up and tried to shuffle his body closer to the cup that contained water. He couldn't move his hands but he nudged the cup until it was up against the wall and he was able to tilt it a bit. He spilled some on the dirt floor but he did manage to get some water down his throat. The cup was routinely filled with water and the plate normally had some type of broth and rice in it. His jailer would try to shovel a few spoonfuls of broth into his mouth but Kurt was having trouble swallowing. He was surprised the guy kept trying to feed him and Smith. They probably wanted them to heal faster so that they could continue interrogating them. He supposed it would be hard trying to get information out of a corpse. Kurt was exhausted his body was simply shutting down in order to heal and Kurt gave up trying to stay awake.

Hours later Kurt woke up and looked over to see if Smith was awake but he couldn't tell. "Smith," his voice was raspy and his throat burned.

"Hmmmm"

"You doing ok? Have you had some water?"

"I saw you nudge the cup and get some water so I tried to copy you and managed to almost drown myself when most of it went up my nose but I did manage to get some."

Kurt was about to say something when he heard a commotion outside the room. He watched the door swing open and two men came in and grabbed his arms and dragged him out. He almost passed out from being manhandled and they had to tie him to the chair because he couldn't keep his body in the chair.

He focused all his energy on the man sitting across from him. He could feel himself starting to black out when he was hit in the face with a bucketful of water. He started chocking and coughing which hurt like hell. He glared at the man and he noticed that he was about to be interrogated by a different man. This one was a dressed in jeans and a Harvard sweatshirt and looked to be in his early 30's.

"Is General Jonathan Allen your grandfather?" Kurt's was surprised at how flawlessly this man spoke English and his eyes widened at the mention of his grandfather.

"My name is Airman Kurt Hummel….," he was interrupted before he could continue.

"Your birthday is May 27, 1990. Your mother was Elizabeth Allen Hummel who died in New York City on September 11, 2001. Your father is Burt Hummel who is currently married to Carole Hudson. Your step-brother is Finn Hudson who currently attends college. Your grandfather is General Jonathan Allen and your uncle is General George Allen, commander of the Marine Corps Base at 29 Palms California. Last but certainly not least is your boyfriend Blaine Anderson, currently stationed at F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming."

Kurt looked at him in shock but didn't speak as his captor continued, "I know everything there is to know about you Airman Hummel. I also know that you have been interrogated by men who are experts in their field and yet they were not been able to break you. Granted you haven't been here that long and they didn't quite have their special "instruments" designed to make men speak. Luggage tends to get misplaced and imagine their disgust when their bag containing all the tools of their trade was lost by the airlines."

He pointed at one of the men, "Hakin here tells me that there were originally five of you captured but the other three unfortunately didn't make it. They tried their best but eventually the pain was too much and they begged to be put out of their misery. However, he speaks highly of you and your friend. True warriors - but I would expect nothing less of General Allen's grandson. I forget my manners – would you like some water?"

Kurt nodded and Hakin grabbed a bottle of water and held it up to his lips. He relaxed his throat and let the water slide down his throat. "Thank you."

"Let me tell you a story Airman Hummel. My father was a Colonel during the first Persian Gulf War as you Americans so eloquently call it. He was captured along with his company during a confrontation with the Americans. He was taken prisoner along with my uncles and twelve of his men. They were beaten and interrogated before they were brought before their leader. My father, as the ranking officer was interrogated intensively for a few days. He was not in good shape when he was finally brought before the American leader. Do you know who that was?"

Kurt shook his head. He had an idea but he wasn't about to say anything that might set this man off.

"The man in charge of the squadron was Brigadier General Allen. He took one look at how my father and his men were treated and all hell broke loose. He had the men responsible for the condition of my father and his men court-martialed. He apologized to my father and had the medics tend to his wounds. My father was treated with respect and when the conflict was over he was released in accordance with the Geneva Convention. During his time in captivity my father and your grandfather formed an unlikely friendship. My father always spoke about your grandfather with respect. He firmly believed that had your grandfather not been a man of honor, he would have had my father and his men killed. Tensions were running high on both sides of the conflict and many men were killed without due process under the guise of war. Unfortunately this type of behavior is common during war. Because of your father's honorable behavior my father was able to see me and my siblings grow up. He was a changed man after he met your father he knew that he had been given a second chance at living his life and he made the most of it for himself and his children. He made sure we knew how important we were in his life and he gave us the best of everything. All of his children, even the females were educated in the United States," he gestured at his sweatshirt.

"I went to Harvard as did most of my siblings. He also became obsessed with your grandfather and tried to keep up with his career. It wasn't until my sister bought him a laptop a few years ago that he discovered the wonders of the internet. Now he routinely surfs the internet. He actually gets alerts whenever your grandfather's name is mentioned in way, shape or form."

Kurt just listened. The story was fascinating but the pain was becoming too much for him to handle sitting in his position. He could hear the man's voice but couldn't make out what he was saying. His body was screaming and his mind finally gave in to the darkness. He wasn't sure how long he was out but he was shaken awake by Hakin. He opened his eyes and managed to focus on the man sitting in front of him.

"I apologize for not realizing you must be in tremendous pain. I had Hakin give you some morphine. That should help control some of the pain." Kurt actually did feel better. "Thank you," he croaked. Hakin had him drink some more water before the story continued.

"Imagine my father's surprise when he got an alert on an article that mentioned that the grandson of General Allen had been one of the men missing in action. Mind you no one really knows where you are or even if you are still alive. Everyone thinks you are still in Iraq when in reality you are in Afghanistan. They have had search and rescue teams out looking for you but they have not been looking in the right direction. My father made a call that immediately stopped your interrogation. Unfortunately, it was too late for your friends. He was afraid that you had been killed. My father wishes to settle his debt to your grandfather and has asked me to turn you over to the Red Cross. I am only authorized to release you. Your friend will continue to be a guest for however long it takes for us to gather any information we can. Hakin here will be taking you to a village where the International Red Cross has a small clinic set up. They are actually working there for the next two days immunizing children. You will be dropped off at the clinic. Any questions?"

"I can't leave my friend here."

"You have no choice. I have only been authorized to release you."

"You were authorized to release one prisoner. Release him and keep me."

"Let me see if I understand. You are being offered your freedom and yet you are willing to give it to another man?"

"Yes."

"Why? What makes his life more valuable than yours?"

Kurt wanted Smith's daughter to grow up with her family intact. He knew how hard it was to grow up missing one parent. This is why he joined the military to make the difference in someone's life. "He has more to live for than I do."

"Are you referring to his wife and daughter? Don't look surprised. The internet is a marvelous thing. We even have his FICO score."

"You mentioned that your father was able to watch his children grow which means that you had a father while growing up. I know what it means to have a parent taken away from you at an early age and why shouldn't his child have the same opportunity you were given?"

"What about Blaine?" Kurt's heart shattered but he knew he was making the right choice. "Blaine is an adult who will move on with his life just like my father did when my mother died and before you ask yes, I'm sure my dad will be devastated but he isn't alone anymore and he will survive. Their hearts will break but eventually they will scab over unlike a child's heart which never gets over the loss of a parent."

"I will let you think about your decision overnight. I don't want you to make a hasty decision especially under the influence of a narcotic. I will see you in the morning."

"Smith is having trouble breathing. Take him to the Red Cross tonight. My decision has already been made and I won't change my mind. I would hate for him to die unnecessarily."

The man turned and gave Hakin directions to prepare Smith for transportation. He was about to leave the room when he heard Kurt speak. "Please don't tell Smith about our arrangement. I don't want him to live with my death on his conscious. He will not leave me without a fight. You will probably have to give him enough medication to knock him out." He saw the man nod and he asked, "What is your name?"

"My name is not important Airman Hummel," he replied as he walked out the door. Kurt was taken to his room and he saw that a cot had been brought in for him to sleep on. Smith was no longer in the room and Kurt felt the mental and physical exhaustion hit him. Thanks to the morphine he was able to sleep comfortably for the first time since he had been captured.

"_What have you done Kurt?"_

"_I did what I had to do mom. He deserved to go back to his wife and daughter."_

"_What about what you deserve? What about your freedom."_

"_Can you sing to me? I can always find my freedom in your songs." He drifted off to with the sound of his mother's singing in his ear. _

"_I'm so proud of you Kurt," she whispered to her son as he slept._

* * *

><p>Smith had been shaken awake and moved to a different room from the one in which he was routinely interrogated. He was given a chair and he slumped over and almost fell out of the chair until he was tied down. He figured it was pretty much a method of keeping him in the chair not out of any danger of him trying to escape. He wouldn't get too far with two broken legs. There was a different man sitting at the table wearing a Harvard sweatshirt.<p>

"Corporal Smith, I will not be asking you questions so you can rest easy on that count. I was sent here by my father to release Airman Hummel. It seems my father owes General Allen a debt and he thought he could settle the debt by giving Airman Hummel his freedom. However, Airman Hummel decided your life was far more valuable than his so you will be taking his place. You will be turned over to the Red Cross tonight."

Smith was shocked, "NO! I refuse to take Hummel's….."

He was interrupted, "You have no say in the matter Corporal Smith. It was Airman Hummel's decision. He didn't want you to know he gave up his life for yours, something about not wanting you to feel guilty about living after he is dead. I however don't agree with that sentiment. You should live with the knowledge that someone gave up their life so your child could grow up with a father. Knowing this will guarantee that you live your life to the fullest and don't just waste it," without another word the man left.


	24. Chapter 24

**a/n: One more chapter to go :)**

* * *

><p>Chapter 24:<p>

Jonathan was drinking his morning coffee when his cell phone rang. "Hello."

"Jonathan, it's Jack." Jonathan's heart starting beating rapidly as he listened, "I have some news. Late last night the commander at Camp Victory got a call from the Red Cross delegation out of Afghanistan. They were getting ready to close shop for the night when a truck drove up and dumped off a man right at their doorstep. They figured it was one of the insurgents who had been injured in the constant skirmishes - they were only in the area to immunize children but of course they can't ignore an injured person. Much to their surprise they realized that the unconscious man was an American soldier. He had a note pinned to his shirt with his name, rank and the fact that he was based out of Camp Victory in Iraq. Jonathan, this is one of the soldiers that was with Kurt when they were captured. He was flown to the hospital at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. I have a team waiting to debrief him there. I will let you know what I've found out as soon as I hear."

"What condition was he in when he was found?"

"Bad – I don't have all the details but it seemed like he had been tortured since almost every finger was broken but I will know more once the doctors at Landstuhl check him out."

"Thanks Jack. Keep me posted," Jonathan hung up the phone and sat there thinking about all the times he had held Kurt in his arms. He thought about how cute Kurt had looked when he was teaching him how to hold his pinky while drinking tea. He choked on his tears thinking about Kurt's fingers being broken and mangled to the point where he could no longer hold his tea cup appropriately. He had been in the military long enough and had seen enough hatred in the world to know what Kurt was probably going through. His grandson was one of the strongest people he knew but even the strongest have their limits. He wondered if Kurt had reached his limit.

* * *

><p>Corporal Smith had just finished being debriefed. He had had to recount everything he remembered from the moment they left Camp Victory that fateful morning quite a few times to different people. He answered the same questions over and over again. Everyone was trying to figure out the identity of the man who had released him but the hardest question to answer was whether or not Airman Hummel was alive. Smith had been in captivity 16 days before he was released and Hummel was now going on 20 days.<p>

Smith knew that he would not have lasted much longer in captivity. His body had almost given up on him. It was damaged to such an extent that he had undergone quite a few surgeries to repair some of the internal damage caused by the beatings. He had been out of it for the first couple of days especially since his bones had been re-broken and set because they had started to heal improperly. It was easier to keep him sedated. He welcomed the pain which was a small price to pay for the guilt he felt at leaving Kurt behind. He knew that by giving up his freedom Hummel had essentially signed his own death warrant.

Smith remembered his promise to Kurt and since he knew his family was due to arrive the next day he wanted to take this opportunity to contact Kurt's family. He knew once his wife and daughter arrived they would not leave him alone for an instant. He couldn't wait to see his wife and daughter but knew he wouldn't be able to answer the inevitable questions Kurt's family would ask with them present. He wanted to spare them the details of what he had gone through during his captivity.

Smith had refused to take his last pain medication. His body craved the healing sleep but he knew he had to contact Hummel's family and he needed to be alert. He had made a promise to Kurt and he meant to keep his word. He had asked permission to contact Kurt's family and had been given his father and his boyfriend's phone numbers. He picked up the landline and dialed the overseas extension.

"Good Morning Personnel Department, Airman Anderson speaking, how may I help you?

"Hello, this is Corporal Steven Smith. I am calling from Germany."

"Yes, Can I help you?"

"Airman Anderson, I am calling because I was captured along with Airman Hummel and we promised each other that if either one of us made it out alive we would deliver messages to each other's loved ones." He could hear Blaine gasping on the telephone.

"You were with Kurt? How is he? Where is he now? When were you released?"

Smith went on to tell Blaine everything that had happened to them since they were captured. He told him about the hours they spent talking in the dark about their loved ones. He also told him how Kurt had been offered his freedom and had bartered it to save his friend. "Kurt mentioned that you were the love of his life. You made him happy and he always said he could never understand how someone like you could love someone as damaged as him. He asked me to make sure you knew how much he loved you and that you were the first and last thing he thought of each day. He also wanted me to tell you that if anything should happen to him that he wants you to go on living your life and to try to find happiness again."

Blaine was crying but he had to ask, "Why do you keep talking about him in the past tense? Is Kurt dead? I haven't heard from his father since yesterday."

"The last time I saw Kurt was four days ago. He was alive but in pretty bad condition. I'm sorry I keep referring to him in the past tense but in our minds we were both dead to our loved ones when we were being held captive – it was easier to deal with the pain - and I am having trouble adjusting to freedom or the thought that I am still alive. I'm sorry I can't answer your questions. I made a promise to Kurt and I wanted to honor his request. He saved my life and I will always be grateful to him. If you ever need anything or if there is anything I can ever do for you please don't hesitate to contact me." He gave Blaine his contact information before bidding him farewell.

He hung up the phone and dialed another number before he lost his nerve. He hated hurting Kurt's family but Kurt had been pretty adamant about making sure his message was delivered if Smith made it out alive. Smith took a deep breath as he heard the phone being answered.

"Hello?"

"This is Corporal Steven Smith. Is this Mr. Burt Hummel?"

"This is Burt. How can I help you?"

"Mr. Hummel, I was with Kurt during the time he was held prisoner. He and I spoke while we were together and we promised each other to deliver a message to our respective families once we were freed…," Smith went on to deliver his message and he was able to tell Burt the circumstances of his freedom. He thanked Burt for having raised an honorable man who had willingly given up his freedom so that someone else could live.

"Corporal Smith, I want to thank you for delivering Kurt's message. I can hear the guilt in your voice for having your freedom while Kurt stayed behind. Please don't let guilt get in the way of you living your life. My son must have seen something in you that made him decide to barter his freedom for yours. Please keep in touch. I would love to hear about your family." By this point Burt could barely speak. He could feel the tears clogging up his vision. He quickly bid Corporal Smith a farewell and hung up the phone. He shakily dialed Blaine's number. Smith had mentioned that he had already spoken with Blaine and Burt wanted to make sure he was okay.

* * *

><p>Kurt wasn't sure how long he had been held captive. He lost track of time when Smith left. They used to keep each other company and together they were able to keep hanging on to the thread of hope that one day they would be rescued. That thread had been severed and Kurt floated in a daze of painkillers that his captors kept injecting into his system.<p>

He was listening to his mother and Mr. Schue arguing about whether or not Kurt should wake up and try to find his way out of the medicated fog he was currently being suffocated with instead of just lying there dead to the world.

"_You know I can hear you both. I don't think I'm dead – yet," he murmured trying to shift in the cot. That seemed to stop the present conversation._

"_Kurt, I know you are in a lot of pain but I think you should try to ease up on the meds. It seems to pull you under for longer periods of time every time you are injected."_

"_She's right Kurt. I think you've been out of it for the past 12 hours," replied Mr. Schue. _

"_It is pretty hard to fight someone off when every limb in your body is broken. Besides I can't feel the pain anymore."_

"_What happens if you OD or become addicted honey? This man is not a medical doctor and we aren't even sure what it is he is injecting into you on a daily basis."_

"_I will either die of an overdose or of being tortured and then shot. Seems like an easy choice, mother. As for the addiction part I don't think I have to worry about being an addict because I probably won't live long enough to deal with that monkey on my back. At least this way I'm not in agony 24/7."_

"_No need to be sarcastic Kurt. I'm just worried about you."_

"_I know mother. I will try to fight the next injection – that is if I'm even awake when he comes in to inject me."_

"_We'll make sure you are honey."_

_Kurt nodded to his mother as he slipped back into the darkness where he could run his fingers through Blaine's beautiful curls._

He was startled awake a few hours later when he heard the door to his room being opened. He opened his eyes and saw Hakin getting a syringe ready.

"No drugs," he said hoarsely in Arabic.

Hakin was so startled at hearing Kurt speak Arabic that he dropped the syringe. "What?"

"No drugs please."

"You will be in pain. I have been instructed to keep you pain free. I cannot disobey my orders," he replied and proceeded to inject him.

Kurt just sighed and went back to cuddling with Blaine.

* * *

><p>The man sat on a chair and observed the young man sleeping on the cot. He looked like a young boy as he lay sprawled on the cot. He looked nothing like his grandfather and he certainly did not look like a seasoned warrior even though his interrogators swore that this man could not be broken even as almost every bone in his body was broken.<p>

He had ordered the torture to stop as soon as he had found out that this was General Allen's grandson. He had sent his son to offer him his freedom and he had been surprised when his son had informed him of what had transpired. It was at that moment that Sahid Awad knew he had to meet General Allen's grandson. He had arrived late last night and had found his asleep so he decided to wait until the morning to speak with him. After breaking his fast the next morning he had gone to see his prisoner and wondered why he was still asleep.

"He sleeps because I keep him sedated," answered Hakin when Sahid questioned him.

"Why? I'm sure he would not attempt to escape. The man can't run on broken limbs."

"I was instructed to keep him pain free so I inject him with pain killers twice a day. This causes him to sleep all the time."

"You were instructed to keep him pain free not comatose! Do not inject him anymore and notify me when he is awake."

"Yes sir." Hakin had informed him that the prisoner was stirring about an hour ago and so he sat patiently waiting for him to fully wake up.

"Would you like some water?" he asked when he saw his eyes open. He put a straw up to the young boy's mouth and watched him take a sip. He started to close his eyes but seemed to notice that his was not Hakin. He forced himself to focus on the older gentleman.

"Who are you?"

"I am Sahid Awad, Airman Hummel. I will have Hakin help you clean up and then we will speak." He turned to Hakin and gave him instructions in Arabic to have the prisoner bathed, fed and in the interrogation room within the hour. He sent in his bodyguards to help Hakin since the young boy could not bear his weight on his own legs.

Kurt's blood froze when he heard he was being taken to the interrogation room. It had been awhile since he had been interrogated and he wasn't sure he could survive another beating.

An hour later Kurt was feeling almost human. He actually smelled good and while he could still feel every broken bone he was glad to be alert and sitting down with a full belly. He had asked Hakin the date and was amazed at how long he had survived captivity. It had been over a month since he had been taken captive and about two weeks since he had last seen Smith. He hoped that he had been released as promised. He looked over at the older man sitting across from him and asked, "Was my friend released?"

"Corporal Smith was delivered alive to the Red Cross as promised. He has since been reunited with his wife and child." Kurt sagged in relief. He had been afraid that Smith had secretly been executed before his body wasnturned over to the Red Cross.

"Thank you."

"I keep my promises Airman Hummel. I once promised myself that if I was ever in a position to settle my debt with General Allen I would. I just never thought it would take over 20 years – actually I never really thought I would ever get a chance to repay his kindness to me and my family. I was overjoyed to hear that I was actually going to erase that debt - except for the fact that you ruined it for me by saving someone else so I still feel like I am in debt to your grandfather. My son explained your reasons but I needed to hear it from you because I am having trouble understanding how someone who has been tortured and beaten gives up his freedom knowing he will probably die in captivity?"

"Corporal Smith is a good man. I've worked with him since being in Iraq and have seen how he is with his men and with the children around Camp Victory. He has a family and I didn't want his child to grow up without a father. It is as simple as that."

"Nothing is ever that simple. Can you tell me a little bit about your grandfather?" He saw Kurt hesitate, "After all I did release your friend alive."

Kurt knew that prisoners of war were not to give out personal information that could and probably would be used against them but he figured he did owe the man so he talked about his grandfather.

"I know your mother died on September 11th and I knew that it must have been a terrible blow for General Allen. Your mother was his only daughter. Daughters always hold a special place in their father's hearts."

"I don't remember much about that time since I was very young and all I knew was that my mother was gone. Did you ever try to contact my grandfather?" Kurt was curious.

"No, I never did. I was tempted to and I did send a wreath to your mother's funeral but your grandfather and I have very different belief systems as far as what is right and what our faith tells us is right. We had an uneasy truce while I was held captive and he never really knew how grateful I was for how humanely he treated me and my men. I knew without a doubt that if it had not been for your grandfather we would have all been killed within days of being captured. Humans do terrible things to each other during war and such acts can easily be justified as sanctioned killings. There is a song about war that says "…nobody is right, if everybody's wrong…." and yet each side continues to steadfastly fight for their beliefs. May I ask how you got that scar?"

"I was in LAX when it was bombed last year. If my teacher had not protected me with his body I would have perished that day. That day changed my life and it was also why I decided to join the military. It was my turn to make a difference and to fight back against terrorism. I survived that bombing but it looks like my time has come to an end and ironically at the hands of terrorists but at least it is on my terms. I know I've made an impact on Corporal Smith's family and I never gave the enemy information that could be used against my country."

"Your death will be an honorable one when it comes time to die but it will not be at my hands. You have made your grandfather and your country proud. Five of you were taken captive and only two of you were strong enough to survive the brutalities inflicted on you without giving up any information. I refuse to have your death on my conscious Airman Hummel. You will be released to the International Red Cross tomorrow morning. Please give your grandfather my regards. You may use my name when they debrief you although it is not my real name it is the one I was using when I was brought before your grandfather. He might not remember me but I will be able to wipe my slate clean." He stood up reached over to shake my hand but realized that my broken hand and fingers were too swollen and mangled to manage a handshake.

"Thank you," Kurt whispered as he left the room. He was dizzy with relief. Instead of being tortured again he was given his freedom. Hakin came in and had the bodyguards carry him back to his cot. Hakin asked him if wanted an injection and he shook his head. He wanted to be conscious when he was released to the Red Cross.

"I'm going home mom…." he whispered. He didn't hear her response but he could hear her singing to him as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>an: Thoughts?**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

"Jonathan, Kurt's been turned over to the Red Cross. He's alive!"

Jonathan had just picked up the phone when he heard Jack's excited voice yelling into the phone. His legs gave out and he slumped onto the couch.

"He is being transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center as we speak. I know we should have notified you through official channels but I knew you'd want to hear the news immediately," said Jack. "There's a military charter plane going out of New York in the morning. I've made arrangements for your entire family to be on that plane to Ramstein."

"Can you authorize emergency leave for Airman Blaine Anderson, Kurt's boyfriend, so that he can go with us? He is stationed at F.E. Warren AFB?"

"I'll take care of it," he promised.

"Thank you, Jack. I will notify Burt right now," he hung up the phone and started yelling for Marissa. "Is Burt still at the shop?" he asked.

"Yes, I think so; he said something about getting breakfast at the diner near the shop with Carole since she didn't have to be at work until 10:00am. Why?"

He grabbed her and started swinging her around, "Kurt's alive! He's headed to Landstuhl!" They were both crying and holding each other. The past month had been hell for both of them. "I'll head over to the shop and you call the airlines and book flights for all of us to New York for tonight. There is a flight headed to Ramstein Air Base in Germany and Jack managed to get us all on it. It leaves in the morning so we need to be there tonight. Also, book a flight for Blaine from Cheyenne to New York. Kurt would kill us if we don't bring him along." He ran out the door to find Burt.

* * *

><p>"Burt! Burt!" Burt was working underneath a car and was startled when he heard Jonathan screaming. He managed to bump his head before he rolled himself out from underneath the car. He saw his father-in-law running towards him with red-rimmed eyes and all disheveled looking. Burt almost had a heart attack. All he could think of was that they had found Kurt's body like all the other POWs. He couldn't speak. He just stared at Jonathan trying to get enough breath into his body to breathe.<p>

As soon as Jonathan saw him he yelled, "Kurt's alive!" Burt couldn't process anything else. He put his hands over his face and started to cry. "My boy's alive! THAT'S MY BOY! I knew he could do it!" He grabbed his cell phone and called Carole who immediately got someone to cover her shift so she could come home.

"I've got to call Blaine!"

"Tell Blaine to be packed and ready to go to New York tonight. We are all going to fly out to Germany first think in the morning. Marissa will call him with his flight information."

Burt called Blaine and theirs was a short, emotional conversation, "Are you sure I'll be able to go?" asked Blaine. "I tried to get emergency leave right after Kurt was captured and it was denied."

"Jonathan said it was all taken care of but let me know if they give you a hard time and I will have Jack call."

As soon as Blaine hung up the phone he ran into his boss' office. "Airman Anderson, I was just about to go find you. It seems you have just received 30 days of emergency leave starting tomorrow. These came straight from the Pentagon so you are released from duty immediately. I hope it is good news." Blaine had informed his supervisor about Kurt's situation.

"Yes sir. It is. Kurt is alive and being flown to Landstuhl. I'm flying out tonight along with his family."

"I won't keep you then. Good luck – I hope everything turns out well. I will see you in 30 days, Airman Anderson."

"Thank you, sir." Blaine rushed home and quickly packed his bags so that he would be ready to go to the airport as soon as he heard from Kurt's grandmother.

* * *

><p>Kurt had arrived at Landstuhl and after being evaluated by the medical team assigned to him he was debriefed. Just like Smith, Kurt had to recount his story quite a few times to different people before he was allowed to talk to anyone. He made sure he documented every detail about Sahid Awad that he could think of but no one was able to identify the man. They ran the name through every known database but the alias was clean. Kurt was just grateful he had been given his freedom. As soon as he could he called his father to let him know he was okay. His father mentioned that they were all flying out to Germany as soon as possible. His conversation with Blaine was an emotional one. Neither one could talk coherently. Their emotions were all over the place. Blaine promised to be there as soon as he could and Kurt had to finally hang up when the doctors walked into his room. Kurt didn't want to go into surgery until his family arrived in Germany but the doctors were worried about some of the internal injuries he had incurred due to the beating so they rushed him into surgery as soon as an operating room was available.<p>

He had been given anesthesia and he was out cold. His arms and legs had to be re-broken and he needed pins surgically implanted to help stabilize his bones but he wasn't worried especially when he sensed his mother's gentle touch.

_He felt his mother smoothing his bangs out of his face, "Honey, you will be okay. Your dad and Blaine are on their way here."_

"_Thanks mom. I can't wait to see dad and everyone else – especially Blaine. I've decided that I am not willing to be away from him any longer than necessary."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I'm going to marry his as soon as I can – this way we can put in for a joint spouse assignment. I want to go to bed every night with him by my side and I want to wake up every morning with him cuddled up right next to me. I told myself that if I got out alive the first thing I would do is marry him."_

"_He loves you so much Kurt. You are lucky to have him and I hope you get to grow old together…," Kurt could hear the way his mother's voice faded out – almost as if she was too sad to continue talking to him about long lasting love. He wished things had been different but he did know that his father was happy with Carole. "Bye mom, thanks for watching over me," he mumbled as he drifted off to sleep._

After his surgery Kurt was kept in a medically induced coma for a few days. The surgeons had to repair quite a few internal injuries as well as getting his limbs set correctly. The doctors wanted him immobile so that he would start the healing process without any problems and to keep the pain at bay. His family had been by his side for the past two days anxiously waiting for him to wake up. Eventually their prayers were answered. The doctors had decided to bring him out of the coma in a few hours if his vitals were still stable.

Burt had spoken to the doctors and they had arranged for everyone to be present when they brought Kurt out of his coma. Blaine held his breath as he saw Kurt's eyelids flutter. He gently stroked his hand and waited impatiently. He blinked for a moment and when he focused on Kurt he was looking into those beautiful blue eyes he had thought he would never see again.

Kurt smiled at him as he licked his lips and muttered, "Hi – will you marry me?"

"What?" Blaine wasn't sure if he had heard correctly. Kurt's voice was hoarse and scratchy – probably as a result of the breathing tube.

Kurt swallowed and cleared his throat. Burt grabbed his glass of water and let him have a sip of water. "Blaine, will you marry me?" he asked one more time.

"Yes," this time Blaine didn't even hesitate he leaned over and gently kissed Kurt. Everyone started talking at once and Kurt laid back and let his family fawn over him. He was able to convince Blaine to go to the hotel and to take a shower and a short nap while he visited with this dad. Blaine didn't want to go but he couldn't refuse Kurt especially since Kurt could tell how tired Blaine really was besides Blaine knew Kurt needed to reassure his father.

"Talk to me Kurt. Tell me what happened," Burt waited patiently while Kurt took his time telling him everything he had gone through. Jonathan was listening to the story as well and when Kurt asked him about Sahid he looked surprised. "I do remember him but that was so long ago and I haven't thought about it in a long time."

"Well you certainly made an impact on him. He knows everything about you right down to your FICO score. He pretty much stalks you and I am not surprised that he found out I was your grandson."

"We tried to keep that fact away from the media. We figured that if the media got a whiff of the connection then it would effectively sign your death warrant. I am not well liked in certain Arabic circles."

"Well in this case, it actually saved not only my life but my friends as well," replied Kurt. "I was sure I was a dead man. I know I could not have survived another beating. I could see Smith slowly dying in front of me and I knew we were both running out of time." All three men sat there in silence each one thinking about how lucky they had been this time around.

"I dreamed about mom and even Mr. Schue while I was out of my mind in pain. Mom would sing to me like she used to when I was little and while Mr. Schue meant well he tended to always say the wrong thing. I think they were looking out for me."

"I'm sure they were. Kurt, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure dad."

"Why did you ask Blaine to marry you? I know you love him but that was intense. I mean you just woke up from a coma and you immediately popped the question."

"I had plenty of time to think while I was in that cell just waiting to die. I knew that if I had died over there my one regret would have been that I had never married Blaine. I promised myself – and mom – that I would marry Blaine as soon as possible. I guess I must have been dreaming about it because as soon as I opened my eyes there he was – as beautiful as ever. I couldn't help myself. I know we are young but I know that he is the one for me, dad. Are you okay with it?"

"Son, I'm okay with anything you want as long as you are happy, safe and alive. I know Blaine loves you but have you thought about how difficult being apart from each other will be on your relationship," asked Burt.

"Yeah, Blaine mentioned he has 30 days leave which we can spend at home. I want to get married as soon as possible dad. I seriously thought I was a dead man. I hoped but never really believed that I would ever see any of you again and now that I have been given another chance at life I am not about to waste a single moment." Kurt looked at his grandfather and said, "Grandpa, can you do me a favor?" His grandfather nodded as Kurt explained exactly what he wanted him to do.

"No problem kid, your grandmother and I will head out and be back in a few hours."

Burt continued talking to Kurt until he noticed that his son was falling asleep. He watched him sleep for a while and realized how truly amazing his son was. He looked inside his wallet for a picture of Kurt and his mother that he carried with him. "We did good Elizabeth, he told me you were watching over him. Thank you for being there for us."

* * *

><p>Kurt woke up when he heard laughter and quiet voices talking. He opened his eyes and saw his family gathered. His grandfather sat on the bed and bent down to whisper into his ear, "I put what you asked for under your pillow. Your grandmother picked them out so I hope they meet with your approval. If not we can always take them back."<p>

"I'm sure they are beautiful grandpa – thanks."

After a few minutes Jonathan winked at Kurt and cleared his throat, "Okay everyone, let's leave these two lovebirds alone for a few minutes and head over to the local Gasthaus for some jagerschnitzel and beer." He quickly ushered everyone out the door.

"Well that was subtle," laughed Kurt.

Blaine climbed on the bed and cuddled up next to Kurt, "I've been wanting to do this all day long. I thought I would never get to hold you in my arms again. I don't want to ever let go."

"You won't have to. I know I asked you to marry me earlier and you already said yes but can you reach under my pillow for me and grab the small box under there. I can't seem to do anything for myself quite yet," Kurt gestured at his hands and legs encased in casts.

Blaine reached under the pillow and pulled out a small jewelry box. "Open it," said Kurt. He opened it and saw matching platinum bands. Each one had a small diamond in the middle. "Do you like them?" he asked nervously.

Blaine couldn't speak so he just nodded as he reverently ran his fingers over the bands. "If I could, I would slip that band onto your finger but you will have to do that for me as well." Blaine took out one of the bands and slid it onto his ring finger. He tried to put Kurt's band on but his finger was still too swollen so he set it back in the case.

"I want to get married as soon as we get back to the states," muttered Kurt as Blaine's lips took possession of his.

"Yes, yes, yes."

* * *

><p>The last three weeks had been a whirlwind of activity. Kurt had finally been released from Landstuhl and had been sent to Lima to recuperate. He had been put on medical leave until he was cleared for duty. Blaine was leaving for Wyoming in a couple of days but at the moment was nervously waiting at the altar for his fiancée.<p>

Kurt had planned the perfect wedding even though everything had been done at a rapid pace. He was still in a wheelchair since his arms and legs were still is casts but he didn't care as long as he was getting married to Blaine. Instead of having his dad accompany him down the aisle, Burt was wheeling him down the aisle. He didn't notice his family or friends in attendance – he had eyes only for Blaine.

Blaine's parents hosted the wedding reception which was truly a life-affirming affair. Kurt and Blaine had both invited their friends from Wyoming and Florida as well as their high school friends. Corporal Smith was in attendance with his family. He was also still in a wheelchair recuperating from his injuries and Kurt was finally able to meet his daughter.

"Thank you for saving my father," she said shyly as she hugged Kurt.

"Your father saved me as well," he replied. He made her giggle when he asked her to dance with his husband since he couldn't move his feet and everyone deserved to dance at their wedding. She hurriedly led Blaine to the dance floor.

"She is truly a beauty," commented Kurt looking at his friend.

"Hummel, I can't thank you enough…" Kurt interrupted Smith "You don't need to thank me. You deserved your freedom and I would make the same decision again in a heartbeat. Seeing her smile is worth everything I did. I want to thank you for keeping your promise and delivering my message to my family. I know that must have been hard for you but I wanted them to know I thought about them every moment and how they meant to me in case I didn't make it out alive."

"Yeah those were some pretty tough phone calls to make. I thought they would hate me for taking your chance at freedom but a promise was made and had to be kept."

"My family doesn't hate you - now enough of tears. This is my wedding day and it is a happy occasion. Let's celebrate!"

* * *

><p>Blaine's leave was up. He had to be back at his duty station on Monday morning. There had been no honeymoon since the wedding had been on Friday and there was just not enough time and besides, according to Kurt it is hard to be romantic when you are encased in plaster. He had accidentally punched Blaine when he had a nightmare and woke up swinging at his attackers. Blaine had sported a bruise the size of a baseball on his shoulder for a few weeks.<p>

Since Kurt was on medical leave for a few more months they had decided to return to Wyoming together. Kurt refused to be apart from his husband. His grandparents offered to take them in their RV and set them up in an apartment off base since they were not authorized base housing. They all piled into the RV on Saturday morning and made the 19 hour drive straight through taking turns driving. His grandparents noticed how much help Kurt needed and managed to talk the boys into renting a small 2 bedroom house right outside the base. They decided to stay with them to take care of Kurt while Blaine was at work. It wasn't the best way to start their life together but they were grateful to the couple for giving up their carefree life to take care of their grandchild.

The day they had all been dreading finally arrived. Kurt had his casts removed and had been cleared for light duty. He was to report to his duty station within the week. As soon as they had been married they had requested a joint spouse assignment but had heard nothing from personnel. Kurt was to be awarded the Silver Star for his "gallantry in action" and the award ceremony was to be held the week after he reported back to duty. Jonathan and Marissa had left as soon as Kurt's casts had been removed. They were headed to Florida to visit friends and to be on hand when Kurt received his medal.

Blaine had asked for two weeks off so that he could get Kurt back to Florida and be present at the ceremony. His supervisors had been understanding and graciously granted him his leave. They flew down to Florida and managed to get Kurt settled into a dorm room. Since Kurt was on light duty he was able to spend quite a bit of time with Blaine.

Kurt received his Silver Star surrounded by his husband and his family. They celebrated by having lunch at a restaurant overseeing the Gulf of Mexico. Burt offered a toast and then Jonathan followed with a surprise. "I have a surprise for the newlyweds," Kurt and Blaine looked at Jonathan. "I know you boys put in for a joint spouse assignment so I called in a few favors and when I mentioned your name I was informed that those orders had already been approved and were being cut. I didn't even have to call in a favor at all. It seems that Silver Star POW's deserve to be stationed with their spouse. Blaine it seems that you now have orders to Hurlburt Field."

"Hurlburt Field?" asked Blaine.

"It is about 25 minutes away from Eglin," shouted Kurt as he grabbed his husband and twirled him around. Everyone started clapping and watched the two boys laughing and kissing each other.

* * *

><p>"I'm exhausted."<p>

"I think that is everything though," said Kurt as he surveyed the living room. They had found an apartment in Fort Walton Beach which was located between the two bases. They had just finished moving in and were tired and had just plopped down on the living room couch.

"I'm glad we are finally able to start our life together. Kurt, you are the love of my life and I don't ever want to think about being separated from you ever again. I decided that when my enlistment comes up I am getting out. I know you love the military life but I am content with being your dependent and following you around."

"What will you do if you get out? I don't want you making this decision and then regretting it," Kurt worried his lip as he waited for Blaine to answer.

"I decided I will go back to school using my GI Bill. I'm not exactly sure what I want to major in but I have plenty of time before I would have to declare a major. I have enjoyed my time in the military but I don't love it like you do so I will be fine getting out and going back to being a civilian."

"I do love the military and plan on making it a career like my grandfather. I've been planning on going back to school as well and maybe trying to get a commission."

"You would definitely make an awesome officer. I am so proud of you – now come here and kiss me and let's go christen our new bedroom."

The End.

* * *

><p><strong>an: Thank you to everyone who read the story and to those that reviewed.**


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